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| Donald Trump fired acting Attorney General after she defied executive order banning refugees | Donald Trump fired acting Attorney General after she defied executive order banning refugees |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| President Donald Trump has fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates, after she ordered the Justice Department to not defend the controversial banning refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries. | President Donald Trump has fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates, after she ordered the Justice Department to not defend the controversial banning refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries. |
| Mr Trump signed the executive order to ban refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries – Syria, Lybia, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, and Sudan – late last week. The move set off massive protests at airports across the country. | Mr Trump signed the executive order to ban refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries – Syria, Lybia, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, and Sudan – late last week. The move set off massive protests at airports across the country. |
| After the Trump administration suffered its first defeat in federal court over the weekend, staying some aspects of the executive order, Ms Yates issued her denouncement of the action. The President fired her shortly after. | After the Trump administration suffered its first defeat in federal court over the weekend, staying some aspects of the executive order, Ms Yates issued her denouncement of the action. The President fired her shortly after. |
| "The acting Attorney General ... has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States," the White House said in a statement. | "The acting Attorney General ... has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States," the White House said in a statement. |
| Mr Trump appointed Dana Boente, US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to replace Ms Yates. Mr Boente was sworn in as new Acting Attorney General as of 9pm, according to the White House. | Mr Trump appointed Dana Boente, US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to replace Ms Yates. Mr Boente was sworn in as new Acting Attorney General as of 9pm, according to the White House. |
| It remains unclear who facilitated the swearing-in of Mr Boente. | It remains unclear who facilitated the swearing-in of Mr Boente. |
| “I am honoured to serve President Trump in this role until Senator Sessions is confirmed. I will defend and enforce the laws of our country to ensure that our people and our nation are protected,” Mr Boente said in the White House statement. | “I am honoured to serve President Trump in this role until Senator Sessions is confirmed. I will defend and enforce the laws of our country to ensure that our people and our nation are protected,” Mr Boente said in the White House statement. |
| Ms Yates, a holdover from the Obama administration, issued the directive for DoJ lawyers earlier in the evening. | Ms Yates, a holdover from the Obama administration, issued the directive for DoJ lawyers earlier in the evening. |
| "I am responsible for ensuring that the positions we take in court remain consistent with the institution's solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what's right," she said. | "I am responsible for ensuring that the positions we take in court remain consistent with the institution's solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what's right," she said. |
| "At the present, I am not convinced that the defence of the executive order is consistent with these responsibilities, nor am I convinced that the executive order is lawful." | "At the present, I am not convinced that the defence of the executive order is consistent with these responsibilities, nor am I convinced that the executive order is lawful." |
| The former Acting Attorney General was the first person to be fired on principle by the Trump administration. | The former Acting Attorney General was the first person to be fired on principle by the Trump administration. |
| Firing Ms Yates, the highest ranked Senate-approved Justice Department lawyer was the only person with the authority to approve international surveillance warrants. | Firing Ms Yates, the highest ranked Senate-approved Justice Department lawyer was the only person with the authority to approve international surveillance warrants. |
| The Trump administration claims that Mr Boente has the authority, but it remains unclear whether he has actually been sworn in and possesses that ability as of this writing. | The Trump administration claims that Mr Boente has the authority, but it remains unclear whether he has actually been sworn in and possesses that ability as of this writing. |
| Press Secretary Sean Spicer had challenged government employees to leave their posts when questioned about US diplomats who issued a dissent memo draft condemning Mr Trump's executive order. | Press Secretary Sean Spicer had challenged government employees to leave their posts when questioned about US diplomats who issued a dissent memo draft condemning Mr Trump's executive order. |
| "[A]ny government official who doesn’t understand the President’s goals in this and exactly what it was,” he told reporters, “they should either get with the programme, or they can go." | "[A]ny government official who doesn’t understand the President’s goals in this and exactly what it was,” he told reporters, “they should either get with the programme, or they can go." |
| Former President Barack Obama has defied custom and spoken out against Mr Trump's executive order – referred to by civil rights advocates as the "Muslim Exclusion Order" – saying he was "heartened" to see such civic engagement as Americans take to the streets to denounce the new President. | Former President Barack Obama has defied custom and spoken out against Mr Trump's executive order – referred to by civil rights advocates as the "Muslim Exclusion Order" – saying he was "heartened" to see such civic engagement as Americans take to the streets to denounce the new President. |
| "Citizens exercising their Constitutional right to assemble, organise and have their voices heard by their elected officials is exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake," a statement from Mr Obama’s spokesperson said. | |
| "With regard to comparisons to President Obama’s foreign policy decisions, as we’ve heard before," the statement adds, "the President fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith." | "With regard to comparisons to President Obama’s foreign policy decisions, as we’ve heard before," the statement adds, "the President fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith." |
| Mr Boente will remain Acting Attorney General until Trump-nominee Jeff Sessions receives Senate approval. | Mr Boente will remain Acting Attorney General until Trump-nominee Jeff Sessions receives Senate approval. |
| Meanwhile, the state of Washington his filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for the refugee ban. | |
| "We are a country based on the rule of law, and in a courtroom it is not the loudest voice that prevails, it's the Constitution," state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said at a news conference. | |
| "At the end of the day, either you're abiding by the Constitution or you are not. And in our view, the {resident is not adhering to the Constitution when it comes to this executive action." |