Hawaii's AG Joins Others Opposing Immigration Ban

The attorneys general in 17 states and the District of Columbia are condemning President Trump’s executive order on immigration that was issued Friday, calling it “unconstitutional, un-American and unlawful.”

The group includes Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin.

Their statement, issued Sunday, reads in part:

“As the chief legal officers for over 130 million Americans and foreign residents of our states, we condemn President Trump’s unconstitutional, un-American and unlawful Executive Order and will work together to ensure the federal government obeys the Constitution, respects our history as a nation of immigrants, and does not unlawfully target anyone because of their national origin or faith.”

The statement adds, “Religious liberty has been, and always will be, a bedrock principle of our country and no president can change that truth. Yesterday, multiple federal courts ordered a stay of the Administration’s dangerous Executive Order. We applaud those decisions and will use all of the tools of our offices to fight this unconstitutional order and preserve our nation’s national security and core values.”

Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin joined his counterparts in 16 other states to condemn the Trump administration’s immigration order. Dan Zelikman/Civil Beat

And this: “We are confident that the Executive Order will ultimately be struck down by the courts. In the meantime, we are committed to working to ensure that as few people as possible suffer from the chaotic situation that it has created.”

In addition to Hawaii, the statement is joined by attorneys general from California, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington state, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Connecticut, Vermont, Illinois, New Mexico, Iowa, Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige later released a statement, saying he has been in touch with Chin regarding the orders from federal courts saying parts of the ban. Ige said:

We believe these orders apply to all U.S. international airports, including those in Honolulu and Kona, and expect legal travelers to this country to be welcomed in Hawaii without being detained unlawfully by the federal government.

Refugees entering the United States are screened by the National Counterterrorism Center, FBI, Defense and State departments, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Refugees fleeing from war and persecution seek, simply, a better life.

The governor said Hawaii has “a proud history as a place immigrants of diverse backgrounds can achieve their dreams through hard work” and cited the experiences of Japanese-Americans in World War II internment camps as “sad testament to that fear. We must remain true to our values and be vigilant where we see the worst part of history about to be repeated.”

Meantime, on Sunday, World Can’t Wait-Hawaii planned a protest at Honolulu International Airport to denounce what is widely seen as a ban on Muslims.

And the White House itself issued this statement Sunday:

“The seven countries named in the Executive Order are the same countries previously identified by the Obama administration as sources of terror. To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting. This is not about religion — this is about terror and keeping our country safe.”