White House says Obama appointee betrayed state department with letter instructing officials not to enforce presidents executive order.
Sally Yates, the acting attorney general. Photograph: J David Ake/Associated Press
Donald Trump has fired the acting US attorney general after she told justice department lawyers not to defend his executive order banning entry for people from seven Muslim-majority countries.
The White House said on Monday that Sally Yates had betrayed the department by refusing to enforce a legal order that was designed to protect the citizens of the United States.
Trump drafted in Dana Boente, US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia, to replace Yates as acting attorney general. The presidents official appointee, anti-immigration hardliner Senator Jeff Sessions, is yet to be confirmed by the Senate.
As the countrys top law enforcement official, Yates, who was appointed by Barack Obama, had control over the justice departments immigration litigation office, which has handled the federal complaints filed against Trumps order since his bombshell policy was announced on Friday.
I am responsible for ensuring that the positions we take in court remain consistent with this institutions solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what is right, Yates wrote in a letter to justice department lawyers. At present I am not convinced that the defense of the executive order is consistent with these responsibilities nor am I convinced that the executive order is lawful.
The action earned praise from immigration activists and Democrats but within three hours Yates was gone.
A statement from the White House press secretarys office said: Ms Yates is an Obama administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration.
It is time to get serious about protecting our country. Calling for tougher vetting for individuals travelling from seven dangerous places is not extreme. It is reasonable and necessary to protect our country.
Trump had relieved Ms Yates of her duties and Boente would take over until Sessionss confirmation by the Senate where he is being wrongly held up by Democrat senators for strictly political reasons.
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