This story was originally posted on March 15 2017, and has been updated here.

Watson called Trump's revised band a "watered-down" version of his original order. The Hawaii federal judge's current decision is expected to halt the ban indefinitely. 

"The Court will not crawl into a corner, pull the shutters closed, and pretend it has not seen what it has," Watson said.

 

Two federal judges have ruled against President Donald Trump's proposed travel ban targeting six Muslim nations.

Trump's updated plan, proposed on March 6, calls for a 90-day ban of travelers from six countries. It removes Iraq from Trump's original list of targeted nations and replaces an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria by establishing a 120-day freeze that would require review and renewal.

Judge Derrick K. Watson of Federal District Court, Honolulu, said the ban was "issued with a purpose to disfavor a particular religion, in spite of it's stated, religiously neutral purpose."

Hours later, U.S. District Court Judge Theodore D. Chuang, of Maryland, agreed, stating that the purpose of the ban appears to be "the effectuation of the proposed Muslim ban" that Mr. Trump promised during his campaign.

The rulings come as Trump announces his Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy, Dina Powell.

Powell previously served as Trump's senior counselor for economic initiatives. In her new role, she will work alongside national security adviser H.R. McMaster, who asked Powell to take the position due to her experience as the director of personnel for President George W. Bush.

Powell will also work closely with Ivanka Trump, the newly named Special Assistant to the President, and Jared Kushner, Senior White House Adviser, on economic initiatives.