A federal judge issued a nationwide injunction Tuesday to stop enforcement of the military's ban on openly homosexual troops.

The landmark decision by U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips will end the 17-year-old "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, unless U.S. Department of Justice attorneys appeal the ruling.

The department has 60 days to appeal, but is under no obligation to do so, and could let the judge's ruling stand.

Daniel Blomberg, who serves as litigation cousel for The Alliance Defense Fund, talked more about the ruling on the CBN News Channel Morning News, Oct. 14. Click play to watch.

The ruling stemmed from a lawsuit filed in 2004 by the Log Cabin Republicans, a gay rights organization of current and former military service members.

Government attorneys had warned Phillips that abruptly ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" might harm military operations in a time of war.

They had asked the judge to limit her ruling to the 19,000 members of the Log Cabin Republicans, but she disagreed.

"There is no adequate remedy at law to prevent the continued violation of servicemembers' rights or to compensate them for violation of their rights," Phillips said in her order.

Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said the government was reviewing Phillips' ruling.

Legal experts hint that government attorneys will likely appeal the decision, since President Barack Obama has consistently said he wants Congress to repeal the policy.