Hawaii judge freezes Trump's revamped travel ban

A federal judge in Hawaii halted US President Donald Trump's revised travel ban Wednesday, hours before it was due to take effect, court documents showed.

US District Judge Derrick Watson ruled that the state of Hawaii, in its legal challenge to Trump's executive order, had established a strong likelihood that the ban would cause "irreparable injury" if it were to go ahead.

The court in Honolulu was the first to rule on a trio of legal challenges against the ban, which targets all refugees and people from six mainly Muslim countries.

Decisions were expected later Wednesday from federal courts in Washington state and Maryland.

But the ruling means a nationwide freeze on enforcement of section two of the order, banning entry by nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days.

It also halts section six, suspending the US refugee admissions programme for 120 days.

"The court declines to stay this ruling or hold it in abeyance should an emergency appeal of this order be filed," the ruling said.

The state of Hawaii argued that the ban discriminates on the basis of nationality and would prevent Hawaii residents from receiving visits from relatives in the six countries covered by the ban.

The state also said the ban would harm its tourism industry and the ability to recruit foreign students and workers.

Trump's administration says the travel ban is necessary to keep extremists from entering the United States.