Trump fires defiant acting attorney general

Politico

By Gregory Hellman and Jeremy Herb

January 31, 2017

Trump fires defiant acting attorney general 

TOP STORY — TRUMP FIRES DEFIANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, our colleague Josh Gerstein has more on the immigration ban fallout here: “President Donald Trump fired the nation's acting attorney general Monday night after she refused to defend an executive order he issued last week restricting immigration in the name of national security. In an act of high political drama just 10 days after taking office, Trump replaced Obama administration appointee Sally Yates with Dana Boente, the U.S. attorney in Alexandria, Va.

“‘The acting attorney general, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States. This order was approved as to form and legality by the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel,’ a White House statement said. ‘Ms. Yates is an Obama administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration.’

"Yates could not be reached for comment on Trump's attack, but a person close to her called the criticism from the White House absurd.”

— STATE EMPLOYEES PUSH BACK, TOO, our colleague Nahal Toosi reports on a memo circulating at the State Department against the immigration ban: “State Department employees are trying to rally against President Donald Trump’s new executive order halting the entry of refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. … In a ‘dissent channel memo’ being circulated within the Foreign Service, the diplomats argue that the executive order is unnecessary and will prove counterproductive by alienating America’s Muslim allies. They also say the order could hurt U.S. businesses, according to one draft shared with POLITICO.”

— WHITE HOUSE SAYS THEY CAN GO, TOO, writes Toosi: “The White House on Monday rebuked State Department employees expressing dissent over Trump's recent executive order on immigration, raising fears the diplomats could face retaliation despite their use of a legally protected channel to voice concerns.”

— DHS SECRETARY, WHITE HOUSE CLASH: Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has clashed with the White House over staffing and other decisions in recent days, The Wall Street Journal reports. In addition to tensions over Trump’s executive order, Kelly and the White House have been at odds over his deputy at the agency, and late Monday evening the White House removed Daniel Ragsdale as acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, replacing him with Thomas Homan.

For more information, go to:  www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com