World Bulletin / News Desk

A federal court in Hawaii on Wednesday halted Donald Trump's revised executive order temporarily closing US borders to refugees and nationals from six Muslim-majority countries, dealing the president a humiliating defeat.

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

Trump quickly vowed to fight the "flawed" ruling all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary, describing it as "unprecedented judicial overreach."

"The law in the constitution gave the president the power to suspend immigration when he deems it to be in the national interest of our country," he said at a speech in Nashville, Tennessee, adding: "We are going to win."

The Hawaii court said however it would not stay its decision in the event of an appeal, meaning the ban cannot go ahead as planned on Thursday regardless of any action the White House takes.

The court in Honolulu was the first to rule in a trio of legal challenges against the ban, which had been set to go into effect at midnight.

A federal court in Seattle later granted a separate emergency motion from Washington and Oregon states for a "14-day temporary restraining order," also citing "irreparable harm."

The arguments advanced against the ban by the two northwestern states are "likely to succeed," court documents read.

The Seattle restraining order has no practical effect beyond what had already been set in motion in Hawaii.