Despite Executive Order, WA State AG To Sue Feds Over Immigration
Despite an Executive Order from President Trump doing away with the "separation" policy at the southwestern U.S. border, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson plans to join 8 other states in suing the Federal Government.
Thursday, Ferguson announced the lawsuit, joining California, Massachusetts, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Oregon, New Mexico, New Jersey and Minnesota.
According to Ferguson, the Executive Order does not go far enough:
"The states’ lawsuit will allege the Administration has violated the constitutional due process rights of the parents and children by separating them as a matter of course and without any finding that the parent poses a threat to the children. The policy is also irrationally discriminatory, in violation of the constitutional guarantee of equal protection, because it targets only people crossing our southern border, and not anyone crossing the Northern border or entering the United States elsewhere."
The suit will ask the government begin the process to reunify the families that have been previously separated, and halt any such future proceedings. In April U.S. AG Jeff Sessions instituted a zero-tolerance policy on the Southwestern border towards anyone caught coming over illegally. More information about this situation and a look at what Ferguson's office is doing can be found by clicking here.
This is the 27th time Ferguson has either sued, or joined a lawsuit against the Federal government since Trump became president.
Some critics say Ferguson is more consumed with scoring political points with the Democratic party and using the exposure to prime a possible run for Governor than focusing on the true legal issues of the state of Washington.