The Supreme Court says it will decide the fate of President Trump's revised travel ban, agreeing to hear arguments over immigration cases that were filed in federal courts in Hawaii and Maryland and allowing parts of the ban that has been on hold since March to take effect.

The justices removed the two lower courts' injunctions against the ban "with respect to foreign nationals who lack any bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States," narrowing the scope of those injunctions that had put the ban in limbo.

Trump called the Supreme Court's order "a clear victory for our national security."

The president's revised executive order blocks new visas for travelers from six majority-Muslim countries for 90 days, and suspends the U.S. refugee program for 120 days. Challengers to the ban said it would harm people who have legitimate reasons to be in the U.S. — including through family ties, work and education.

The travel ban will remain on hold for plaintiffs who challenged the executive order and for anyone who is "similarly situated," the justices say — in other words, foreign nationals who have relatives in the U.S., or who plan to attend school or work here.

Refugees will face similar criteria, with anyone lacking connections in the U.S. denied entry. In its order, the court stated, "the balance tips in favor of the Government's compelling need to provide for the Nation's security."

Saying the petitions and injunctions "are accordingly ripe for consideration," the Supreme Court said on Monday that the two cases will be consolidated. The court's clerk will set a date for the case in the session that begins in October, the justices said, while noting that the Trump administration "has not requested that we expedite consideration of the merits to a greater extent."

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said today's move is "an important step towards restoring the separation of powers between the branches of the federal government."

Omar Jadwat, director of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project, called the travel ban unconstitutional, saying, "Courts have repeatedly blocked this indefensible and discriminatory ban. The Supreme Court now has a chance to permanently strike it down."

In a statement released by the White House, Trump wrote:

"As President, I cannot allow people into our country who want to do us harm. I want people who can love the United States and all of its citizens, and who will be hardworking and productive.

"My number one responsibility as Commander in Chief is to keep the American people safe. Today's ruling allows me to use an important tool for protecting our Nation's homeland. I am also particularly gratified that the Supreme Court's decision was 9-0."

The court says its nine justices agreed in the 13-page decision to take the case and place stays on some of the preliminary injunctions. But several justices wanted to go further — Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a three-page opinion, joined by Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, in which he said the government's request for a stay should have been granted in full.

"I agree with the Court's implicit conclusion that the Government has made a strong showing that it is likely to succeed on the merits," Thomas wrote, "that is, that the judgments below will be reversed."

Thomas criticized the decision to keep the injunctions in place for what he called "an unidentified, unnamed group of foreign nationals abroad," saying it places a burden on officials to determine who has a "bona fide relationship" with a person or organization in the U.S.