Washington State Files Suit to Invalidate Trump Order on Immigration

The US state of Washington has filed a lawsuit to invalidate President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said at a news conference in Seattle on Monday.

PORTLAND (Sputnik) — On Friday, Trump signed an executive order that directs his administration to block refugees from coming to into the United States for 120 days; indefinitely suspended the entry for Syrian refugees; and restrict immigration from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

US Washington state Governor Jay Inslee said at a news conference in Seattle on Monday that Trump's executive order on immigration discriminates against religious groups.

"The clear import, the clear intent of this executive order is to discriminate against one faith amongst all God's children," Inslee stated.

Inslee said that the executive order was "an unconscionable religious test" that was unconstitutional and its impact would be considered "cruelty."

"Its intent is to open the gates to Christian refugees and to slam the gates closed on those who follow the religion of Islam," Inslee emphasized.

At the same press conference on Monday, Bob Ferguson announced the state of Washington had filed the first lawsuit to invalidate Trump's recent executive order on immigration.

"This is obviously the actual litigation moving forward and it is obviously my hope that as we go forward, other states will join us," Ferguson stated.

Ferguson pointed out the lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order on Trump's executive order from being implemented, calling the travel ban unconstitutional, un-American and unlawful.

"We will move quickly on this, there's a reason why we've been working all weekend, and that's because every hour matters, every day matters, every hour matters as it's impacted people's lives in a profound way and that's why I felt so strongly that it was important to bring a thoughtful lawsuit before the Federal Court as soon as possible," Ferguson explained.

If successful, Ferguson added, the lawsuit would invalidate Trump's executive order nationwide.

In 2015, Congress passed a law — the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act — that restricted travel visas for citizens from states of concern such as Syria, Iran, Iraq and the Sudan, including any other country or area of concern.

In early 2016, the Department of Homeland Security unilaterally extended the restrictions to Yemen, Somalia and Libya.