Trump fires acting attorney general for defying US travel ban

US president Donald Trump fired the acting attorney general Sally Yates. Saul Loeb / AFP

WASHINGTON // US president Donald Trump on Monday fired the acting attorney general, a holdover from the Barack Obama administration, after she ordered justice department lawyers not to defend his controversial immigration orders.

In a sharply-worded statement, the White House called Sally Yates “weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration” and also criticised Democrats for not yet confirming the appointment of 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.

“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 new US acting attorney general vowed to defend Mr Trump’s immigration order, hours after his predecessor was ousted for defying it.

Federal prosecutor Dana Boente was named to the position after Mr Trump sacked Mr Yates, pending confirmation of Mr Trump’s nominee Jeff Sessions.

“Based upon the office of legal counsel’s analysis, which found the executive crder both lawful on its face and properly drafted, I hereby rescind former acting attorney general Sally Q Yates January 30, 2017, guidance and direct the men and women of the department of justice to do our sworn duty and to defend the lawful orders of our president,” Mr Boente said.

With Mr Trump’s White House facing multiple lawsuits and worldwide opprobrium over an order banning migrants from seven Muslim nations, Ms Yates took a defiant and damaging parting shot.

In a memo to department of justice staff, Ms Yates - a career government lawyer promoted by Mr Obama - expressed doubts about the legality and morality of Mr Trump’s decree, which has prompted mass protests.

“My responsibility is to ensure that the position of the department of justice is not only legally defencible, but is informed by our best view of what the law is,” Ms Yates wrote.

“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,” she said.

“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.”

Ms Yates’s directive means that the US government, at least for now, has no authorised courtroom representation in the lawsuits.

It was a remarkable act of defiance against a tough-talking president who has showed little sign of brooking insubordination.

Democratic lawmakers have opposed Mr Trump’s order and Republicans are seething over the way his White House has handled the issue.

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.

Several federal judges have since filed temporary stays.

In a separate late-night move announced without explanation by homeland security secretary John Kelly, Mr Trump also replaced acting immigration and customs enforcement director Daniel Ragsdale.

Two dismissals in one night held uncomfortable echoes of president Richard Nixon’s “Saturday night massacre” during the Watergate scandal.

Then, Nixon fired the special prosecutor investigating him, prompting the departures of his attorney general and deputy attorney general.

The events catalysed Nixon’s impeachment.

* Agence France-Presse