SEATAC, Wash. — A scaled-back version of President Donald Trump's travel ban took effect Thursday evening, stripped of provisions that brought protests and chaos at airports worldwide in January yet still likely to generate a new round of court fights.
It will impact specific travelers coming into airports across the U.S., including Sea-Tac Airport.
Sea-Tac Airport told KIRO 7 that the airport itself is not involved in the ban, but that the Department of Homeland Security handles visas and passenger checks.
Once a person gets to the airport, if they have been approved to fly through their Visas, there won’t be any checks.
The ban affects people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. If people from those countries don’t have a bona fide connection to someone in the United States, or a business tie to the U.S., they’ll likely be turned away.
The new guidelines sent to U.S. embassies and consulates say that applicants from the six countries must prove a relationship with a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling in the U.S., according to the State Department.
Grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-laws and sisters-in-law, fiancees, or other extended family members, are not considered to be close relationships.
The state of Hawaii filed an emergency motion Thursday asking a federal judge to clarify that the administration cannot enforce the ban against relatives - such as grandparents, aunts or uncles - not included in the State Department's definition of "bona fide" personal relationships.
Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin says he's concerned the Trump administration may be violating the U.S. Supreme Court's travel ban ruling.
Chin says many of the people that the federal government decided to exclude are considered "close family" in Hawaii.
A federal judge in Hawaii is expected to issue a ruling on Hawaii's motion asking for clarification that the administration can't enforce the ban against fiancés or relatives not defined by the administration guidelines.
>> Q&A: What does the reinstated travel ban mean for Washington state?
Journalists, students, workers or lecturers who have valid invitations or employment contracts in the U.S. would be exempt from the ban, according to CBS News.
But the State Department said a legitimate relationship must be "formal, documented and formed in the ordinary course rather than for the purpose of evading" the ban, as far as business or professional links are concerned.
A 120-day ban on refugees is also being allowed to take effect.
Dozens of lawyers plan to be at Sea-Tac to assist immigrants and refugees.
Washington’s Attorney General Bob Ferguson says he’s disappointed the U.S. Supreme Court decided to let part of President Trump’s travel ban go into effect. But he says he’s encouraged the court will allow U.S. entry to those with a relationship with someone here.
Ferguson has been a staunch critic of the travel ban, successfully suing and blocking Trump's first version of the travel ban.
“The Trump Administration has insisted from the start that this executive order is not reviewable by the courts. As I’ve repeatedly said, this is not the law and cannot be the law. By agreeing to review these challenges, the U.S. Supreme Court signaled today that it rejects the Administration’s argument,” Ferguson said.
“The high court left in place portions of the lower court injunctions that provide important protections for individuals connected to Washington’s families, schools, and businesses. Although I’m deeply disappointed that the injunctions were narrowed and the travel ban will partly go into effect, the protections that remain are significant.
“My legal team and I will continue fighting to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law. If any Washingtonian, employer or university in the state thinks they have a relationship to someone who is being denied access to this country, please notify my office.”
Ferguson is offering individuals, universities, and businesses affected by the ban assistance.
This Associated Press contributed to this report.