Impeachment Imminent?: Federal Judges Block Trump’s Muslim Ban As Nation Erupts In Protest

Trump: “You see it at the airports, you see it all over. It’s working out very nicely.”

“It’s working out very nicely.”

Indeed.

So “nicely” in fact that a federal judge in Brooklyn and another judge in Alexandria, Virginia, issued orders to partially block enforcement of Trump’s ban.

The American Civil Liberties Union requested emergency judicial action to temporarily keep U.S. authorities from forcing incoming refugees to return to their country of origin.

“Had these people come in two days ago, we wouldn’t be here, right?” U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly asked government representatives at a Saturday night hearing. Apparently, the government didn’t have a very good answer for that. This will cause “irreparable injury,” Donnelly concluded, issuing the stay.

The judge asked the government to hand over a list of all detained people to the ACLU. The government objected, noting logistical difficulties. “Why don’t you try to work it out,” the judge said.

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In Boston, Judge Allison Burroughs and Magistrate Judge Judith Dein imposed a seven-day restraining order against Trump’s executive order. That restores the ability of lawful immigrants from the seven banned countries — Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Libya and Syria — to enter the US.

Yes sir, “it’s working out very nicely.”

“You see it at the airports.”

There were massive protests at JFK that spilled over into the parking lot as throngs of angry citizens furious at the detention of two Iraqis (one of whom worked for the US government for a decade) chanted “Let them in!” and “No hate! No fear!” and “Immigrants are welcome here!” and “we are all immigrants” and “no ban, no wall” and… well you get the idea.

In fact, you could “see it at the airports” all over the country as protesters also turned out at Dulles and Portland International where one protester noted that “Portland coffee is from Yemen.”

More airport protests are planned for Sunday in Washington, Orlando, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, and Chicago.

So how about state and local government officials? Surely they’re standing with the White House, right?

Nope. Not a f*cking chance.

From New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who ordered the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to reverse an earlier decision to restrict passage: “The people of New York will have their voices heard.”

From Mayor Bill de Blasio:

What's happening at JFK is shameful. @NYCImmigrants Affairs Commissioner Nisha Agarwal is on the ground now working to help.

— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) January 28, 2017

From Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe: “This executive order is antithetical to the values that make America great, and it will make our country less safe.” Hell, Terry even joined the protests.

Gov: "On behalf of Virginia, I urge @POTUS to rescind this EO and return the United States to its place as a beacon of hope for all"

— Governor Ralph Northam (@VAGovernor73) January 28, 2017

What a bunch of “losers.”

Here’s what we “saw at the airports”…

In New York

In Washington

In Portland

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I was a political scientist in a former life and to the extent my expertise means anything in terms of opining on this (and it may not mean much as political scientists have horrible track records when it comes to predicting political events), I have to tell you, Trump is likely to get impeached before this is all over.

This just isn’t sustainable and if you think that when it comes right down to it, members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are going to risk their own asses/careers and risk being judged by history as a bunch of weak-willed pussies (to use a Trumpism) who sat by and let a real estate developer/reality TV show host run roughshod over the Constitution you are sorely mistaken.

Eventually this will be about self preservation for lawmakers and they will invariably put themselves and their own reputations first.

I can promise you that.

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Paddy Power screengrab: