US appeals court upholds block on Trump's Muslim ban

NEW YORK (AA) - A federal appeals court in the state of Virginia announced Thursday it would not reinstate President Donald Trump's Muslim ban because it discriminated on the basis of religion.

The ruling by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals marks a fresh legal blow to the administration that revised the ban after another appeals court blocked the implementation of Trump's original executive order in January.

The order, a "watered-down version of the first one" by Trump's admission, would stop new visas being issued to residents of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for at least 90 days. It excludes Iraq, named in the original version that was signed one week into Trump’s presidency.

It also suspends the nation’s refugee program for 120 days.

The administration has promised a legal battle. The case is now expected to go to the Supreme Court.