State gives up travel ban legal fight

HONOLULU — The state is dropping its legal fight against President Donald Trump’s travel ban on citizens from several mostly Muslim countries after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the policy.

The state attorney general’s office voluntarily dismissed the case Monday.

Lt. Gov. Doug Chin sued to stop the travel ban from taking effect when he was attorney general last year.

Current Attorney General Russell Suzuki says while the state is disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision, Hawaii’s fight pushed the administration to scale back its efforts.

Suzuki spokeswoman Dana Viola says the department weighed options, evaluated litigation rights and decided dropping the case was in the state’s best interest.