Furious US President Donald Trump fires acting Attorney General who branded so-called ‘Muslim ban’ as ‘unlawful’
Acting attorney general Sally Yates expressed doubts about the morality of order banning migrants from seven nations
A TOP lawyer in the US federal government has been fired by President Donald Trump after she ordered the Justice Department not to back his controversial so-called Muslim ban.
The White House called acting attorney general Sally Yates "weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration".
Yates had written that she would not support travel restrictions targeting Muslim nations because she didn't think they were lawful just before she was due to be replaced by attorney general-designate Jeff Sessions.
"The acting attorney general, Sally Yates, 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.
"This order was approved as to form and legality by the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel," it said.
"Tonight, President Trump relieved Ms Yates of her duties."
The statement added federal prosecutor Dana Boente will serve as acting attorney general "until Senator Jeff Sessions is finally confirmed by the Senate, where he is being wrongly held up by Democrat senators for strictly political reasons".
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Daniel Ragsdale was fired just two hours later without explanation.
The order signed on Friday suspended the arrival of all refugees for a minimum of 120 days, Syrian refugees indefinitely and bars citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days.
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Trump's White House is facing multiple lawsuits and worldwide protests over the order banning migrants from the seven countries.
In a memo to Department of Justice staff, Yates - a career government lawyer promoted by Barack Obama - expressed doubts about the legality and morality of the decree, which has prompted mass protests.
She wrote: "My responsibility is to ensure that the position of the Department of Justice is not only legally defensible, but is informed by our best view of what the law is.
"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.
"For as long as I am the acting attorney general, the Department of Justice will not present arguments in defence of the executive order, unless and until I become convinced that it is appropriate to do so."
Senator Ted Cruz, once Trump's presidential candidate rival, backed his decision to fire Yates.
Cruz wrote on Facebook: "After eight long years of a lawless Obama Department of Justice, it is fitting - and sad - that the very last act of the Obama DOJ is for the Acting AG to defy the newly elected President, refuse to enforce the law, and force the President to fire her."
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