18 AGs just filed suit to stop Trump's family separation policy.

[dixiegrrrrl]

NEW YORK – Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood filed a lawsuit today challenging the Trump Administration’s policy of forced family separation on the U.S. southern border. The multistate lawsuit was filed by a coalition of 18 Attorneys General in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

“Keeping children separated from their parents is inhumane, unconscionable, and illegal – and we’re filing suit to stop it,” said Attorney General Underwood. “By tearing children away from their parents and sending them hundreds of miles away, the Trump administration has already caused unfathomable trauma to these children, while undermining New York’s fundamental interests in protecting their health, safety, and wellbeing. This is not who we are as a country, and we won’t stand by as the Trump administration undermines the Constitution and our rights.”

https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/ag-underwood-files-lawsuit-challenging-trump-administration-family-separation-policy

[lagomorph777]

1. Very welcome news. I wonder how many of these AGs are also cooperating with Mueller.

I think Trump will be very surprised when the state lawsuits and investigations kick in.

[wasupaloopa]

2. The SCOTUS will let him put the kids in chain

gangs if he wanted to.

[MFM008]

5. Immigrant children

Better put the big kid diapers on.
5 members of TSC seem to be willing
To let him run wild.

[Squinch]

3. I love this Underwood lady. I hope she runs to keep the seat,

though she's said she doesn't want to.

[Tatiana]

4. IL AG Madigan is also part of the effort.

ATTORNEY GENERAL MADIGAN ANNOUNCES MULTISTATE LAWSUIT CHALLENGING FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION'S FAMILY SEPARATION POLICY

President's Executive Order Does Not Fix Unlawful & Cruel Policy

<snip>

"The new federal executive order does not bring back together the thousands of families that were torn apart by the federal government's policy, and it does not prevent families from being separated in the future," Madigan said. "I will join with my colleagues across the country to bring action against the federal government for this inhumane and unAmerican policy."

The lawsuit will allege that the administration's family separation policy violates the fundamental due process rights of parents to be with their children, as well as other constitutional and statutory claims. The states will ask the court to order the federal administration to immediately comply with the law beginning with correcting the egregious flaws in his executive order and creating a process to reunify the thousands of families torn apart by his cruel and unconstitutional policy.

Following a close review of the President's executive order, Madigan and the coalition of state attorneys general see two main problems. First, the order does nothing to reunify families already torn apart by the federal administration's policy. Second, the order is riddled with so many caveats that it is rendered meaningless. Specifically, the order requires appropriations, although the total amount is unknown, and the timeline for when or if such an appropriation would happen. It also relies on a federal judge approving a plan to indefinitely detain children, which is an unlikely scenario, and, in any event, would also raise serious legal issues.

http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/pressroom/2018_06/20180621b.html

Children have also been brought to Illinois under this policy. I hope that more AGs in states where these children are being housed join this lawsuit.

[lunasun]

6. +1 she sued the federal government with public citizen on an issue that concerned me years ago

The only Ag at the time to get involved. She will be missed after January when she leaves the office. She served for a long time and we were lucky to have a fighter for so long in Illinois imo

[Tatiana]

7. I will miss her. She was truly one of the best AGs in the nation.

She, too, helped me with an issue against a major utility.

She has really big shoes to fill.

[NewJeffCT]

8. Underwood has been great since she took over

for Schneiderman