US extends COVID public health emergency weeks after Biden declared pandemic ‘over’ MORE.
The Trump administration responded on Wednesday to a petition asking the Supreme Court to stop the president’s ban.
The petition said Monday’s Supreme Court ruling was not a “lawful exercise” of the executive authority the White House claims.
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Critics blasted the decision late Tuesday, claiming it amounted to a broader power grab by Trump and his appointees.
The petition said the court’s decision violated the Constitution’s separation of powers and trampled on the freedom of speech.
Trump issued the travel ban weeks ago on Sunday, weeks after he signed an executive order instructing federal agencies to begin carrying out the ban.
The Supreme Court said Monday night that Trump’s temporary ban could go into effect up until June, leaving the administration several months to try to get approval from Congress.
The order has led to nationwide protests and a partial government shutdown over a wall Trump said Mexico would pay for.
Trump said he would sign a version of his immigration order into law Wednesday afternoon that would temporarily halt travel from seven majority-Muslim nations. But it was unclear if he would be able to finish the bill that was passed by Congress.
The Associated Press and the New York Times contributed to this report.