Protesters at a rally against the separation of families under President Trump’s travel ban in New York in June. (Photo: Alba Vigaray/European Pressphoto Agency)

The court’s action gives the nine justices more time to consider the Justice Department’s challenge, filed on Monday, to the lower court’s decision allowing entry to refugees from around the world if they have a formal offer from a resettlement agency. The 9th Circuit ruling broadened the number of people with exemptions to the ban to include grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins of legal US residents. Under the 9th US Circuit’s ruling, up to 24,000 additional refugees would become eligible to enter the United States than otherwise would be allowed.