Attorneys general from Washington, 15 other states fight travel ban appeal

RICHMOND, Va. -- The top attorneys from 16 states and the District of Columbia say President Donald Trump's revised travel ban would hurt their higher education and medical institutions and have a chilling effect on tourism.

The attorneys general urged the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a brief Wednesday to uphold a ruling that blocked the travel ban targeting six predominantly Muslim countries. The attorneys general say the executive order seeks "to fulfill the president's promise to ban Muslims from entering the country."

The full 4th Circuit will hear arguments in the case May 8.

The attorney generals who signed on to the brief are from Virginia, Maryland, California, Oregon, Connecticut, New York, Delaware, North Carolina, Illinois, Rhode Island, Iowa, Vermont, Maine, Washington, Massachusetts, New Mexico and the District of Columbia.