The Latest: White House says travel ban legal despite ruling

HONOLULU (AP) — The Latest on legal challenges to President Donald Trump's travel ban (all times local):

9:15 a.m.

A White House spokesman says a Hawaii ruling blocking President Donald Trump's travel ban is just the latest step that will allow the administration to appeal.

Sean Spicer said Thursday that the White House firmly believes the executive order is legal, necessary for national security and will ultimately be allowed to move forward.

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson issued an indefinite hold Wednesday on the suspension of new visas for people in six Muslim-majority countries and a freeze on the U.S. refugee program.

Watson says he won't suspend his ruling if the government appeals.

The Department of Justice says it's reviewing the decision and considering its next steps.

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3:05 a.m.

Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin says there is likely to be an appeal by the Department of Justice of the ruling by a federal judge in Hawaii who extended his previous block of President Donald Trump's revised travel ban.

Chin told The Associated Press on Thursday morning that, "The next move is theirs."

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson granted Hawaii's request to extend his previous temporary block of provisions that would suspend new visas for six Muslim-majority countries and halt the nation's refugee program.

Watson rejected the government's request to narrow his ruling to apply only to the six-nation ban. Watson is stopping the government from enforcing both provisions until he orders otherwise.

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2:50 a.m.

The Department of Justice says that it strongly disagrees with the ruling by a federal judge in Hawaii who extended his previous block of President Donald Trump's revised travel ban.

The DOJ says in a statement that Trump's "Executive Order falls squarely within his lawful authority in seeking to protect our Nation's security, and the Department will continue to defend this Executive Order in the courts."

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson granted Hawaii's request to extend his previous temporary block of provisions that would suspend new visas for six Muslim-majority countries and halt the nation's refugee program.

Watson rejected the government's request to narrow his ruling to apply only to the six-nation ban. Watson is stopping the government from enforcing both provisions until he orders otherwise.