Thirty-Four US Cities File Amicus Brief to Challenge Trump's Immigration Order

Thirty-four US cities and municipalities have filed a friend-of-the-court or amicus brief, seeking an extension of the court issued stay on President Donald Trump's immigration offer, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in a press release on Friday.

NEW YORK (Sputnik) — The cities filed the amicus brief in the Eastern District Court of New York to support the plaintiffs in the case of Darweesh v. Trump, according to the press release.

"The President’s ban violates both our Constitution and the values we hold dear," Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "Americans of all stripes should be alarmed that religious liberties and constitutional rights have been taken hostage by the White House. We will do everything in our power to fight back and stand up for the rights of all people."

The plaintiffs took legal action in late January after being detained and threatened with deportation at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York despite having legal documentation to stay in the United States.

On January 27, Trump signed an executive order barring travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days. Moreover, the executive order prohibited refugees from entering the country for 120 days and banned indefinitely refugees Syria.

Trump’s order was challenged by the US state of Washington, leading to a district court judge in Seattle issuing a stay on the travel ban on the citizens from the seven countries.

On February 9, the federal appeals court in San Francisco upheld the stay of Trump’s travel ban.