A US FEDERAL judge in Hawaii has frozen President Donald Trump’s new travel ban hours before it was to come into effect.

The revised ban blocks new visas for people from six predominantly Muslim countries including Somalia, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Yemen.

It also temporarily shuts down the US refugee programme.

The ban was due to come into effect from tomorrow 16 March but the Washington Post reports that US District Judge Derrick K. Watson has froze the order nationwide.

During his campaign , the US President had promised to ban Muslims from entering the US. Evan Vucci / PA Images Evan Vucci / PA Images / PA Images

The US president initially introduced the wide-ranging travel ban on 27 January for the same six countries plus Iraq, but the order was blocked by judges within weeks.

Today’s hearing came following a lawsuit filed by the State of Hawaii which argued that is unconstitutional.

Trump is due to meet with Taoiseach Enda Kenny in the White House tomorrow.

Read: US judge refuses to rule on Trump’s latest travel ban >

Read: Enda Kenny will meet Donald Trump on the day the new travel ban comes in >

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