US District Judge Mark Goldsmith issued a nationwide temporary stay [order] on Monday to protect 1,444 Iraqi immigrants from deportation, extending an order issued last Thursday that applied only to immigrants in the Detroit metro area. Goldsmith’s order on Thursday temporarily blocked [JURIST report] the deportation of more than 100 Iraq nationals, arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) [official website] agents, for approximately two weeks, during which time the court will decide whether it has jurisdiction in the matter. Goldsmith’s purpose for issuing the emergency order nationwide is to protect many Iraqi immigrants who would likely suffer persecution if sent back to Iraq, and to give them more time to seek legal action.

And what was said in support of the issuance of that TRO supports the instant order. The same grave consequences face the expanded class, which establishes irreparable harm. Such harm far outweighs any interest the Government may have in proceeding with the removals immediately. And once again, the public interest is served by assuring that habeas rights are not lost before this Court can assess whether it has jurisdiction in this case.

Goldsmith’s order will expire in 14 days, unless another order is granted.

Many of the individuals facing deportation include both Muslims and Christians from Iraq, who have been in the US for decades and had been allowed to stay because the Iraq government would not issue [Reuters report] them travel documents. That changed in March when Iraq began to allow deportees in exchange [NPR report] for President Donald Trump [official profile] removing Iraq from the list of banned countries. Earlier this week the Supreme Court agreed to rule [JURIST report] on Trump’s travel ban and allowed its partial enforcement.