washington federal judge seattle partially block u.s. president donald trump new restrictions refugee admissions saturday late legal defeat efforts curtail immigration travel unite state decision u.s. district judge jam robart first judicial curb rule trump administration put place late october contribute significantly precipitous drop number refugees admit country refugees group assist argue court administration policies violate constitution federal rulemaking procedures among claim department justice attorneys argue part u.s. law grant executive branch authority limit refugee admissions way do oct. 24 trump administration effectively pause refugee admissions 11 countries mostly middle east africa pending 90-day security review set expire late january countries subject review egypt iran iraq libya mali north korea somalia south sudan sudan syria yemen last three years refugees 11 countries make 40 percent u.s. admissions reuters review state department data show review go effect refugee admissions 11 countries plummet robart rule administration could carry security review could stop process admit refugees 11 countries meantime long refugees bona fide connection unite state part new restrictions trump administration also pause program allow family reunification refugees pending security screen procedures put place robart order government re-start program know follow-to-join approximately 2,000 refugees admit unite state fiscal year 2015 program accord department homeland security data refugee advocacy group praise robart decision rule bring relief thousands refugees precarious situations middle east east africa well refugees already u.s. try reunite spouses children say mariko hirose litigation director international refugee assistance project one plaintiffs case justice department spokeswoman lauren ehrsam say department disagree robart rule currently evaluate next step robart appoint bench republican former president george w. bush emerge relative obscurity february issue temporary order lift first version trump travel ban twitter trump call so-called judge whose ridiculous opinion essentially take law-enforcement away country robart rule represent second legal defeat two days trump administration friday u.s. appeal court say trump travel ban target six muslim-majority countries apply people strong u.s. tie say rule would put hold pending decision u.s. supreme court federal judge partially lift trump 's late refugee restrictions