Judge gives extension to Trump lawyers in travel-ban suit

SEATTLE (AP) — A federal judge in Seattle late today granted a two-week extension to the Justice Department in a lawsuit alleging that President Donald Trump's immigration order is blocking efforts by legal residents to reunite with their children who are trapped in war-torn countries.

U.S. District Judge James Robart, who halted enforcement of Trump's immigration order nationwide in February in a separate case brought by the states of Washington and Minnesota, said in his order the federal government could have more time before responding to plaintiff's efforts to have the case certified as a class-action lawsuit.

The Justice Department argued that Trump intends to rescind the order and replace it with a new, substantially revised executive order that may "influence the shape of the legal issues ... in ways relevant to the class certification question."

After being repeatedly postponed, a White House official said Thursday a replacement order now won't be unveiled until next week at the earliest.

Judge Robart also said he understood the frustrations of the parents and Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, who filed the lawsuit, over Trump administration statements that seemingly contradict those made by federal government lawyers.