A coalition of 16 attorneys general have filed an amicus brief to support a lower court’s decision imposing a temporary stay against President Trump’s executive order on immigration.
The 23-page “friend of the court” brief was filed Monday with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
Attorneys general from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia all signed the filing in support of the Seattle judge’s ruling.
On Friday, Judge James Robart — who was appointed by former President George W. Bush in 2003 — issued a temporary nationwide restraining order halting Trump’s executive order temporarily banning travel from seven countries, and temporarily halting the U.S. refugee program.
“No president or administration is more powerful than our laws and our Constitution,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. “As state AGs, it is our job to hold this administration accountable and stand for the interests of our states and our residents. We are united in this effort.”
The Justice Department was expected to file its brief later Monday to appeal Robart’s order.
