Texas AG Paxton Leads 13-state Coalition Backing Trump's Revised Immigration Orders

AUSTIN — Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday led a coalition of 13 states in filing a brief with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit defending President Donald Trump's revised immigration order.In the brief, Paxton and representatives from 12 other states argue that the Trump administration's new order is legal and falls under the president's power over foreign affairs and national security. Federal judges in Hawaii and Maryland placed nationwide blocks on the order two weeks ago. The revised order would place a 90-day ban on travelers to the United States from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. It exempted green card and visa holders in an effort to resolve the reasons courts blocked Trump's initial ban. It would also block the entry of refugees into the country for 120 days and limit refugee admissions to 50,000 people in the fiscal year. "Rather than leaving national security in limbo while litigation dragged on, President Trump issued a revised immigration order that addresses the 9th Circuit's concerns and is a vital step in securing our borders," Paxton said in a news release. "It is imperative we find a way to better screen refugee applicants to maintain national security. The president is fulfilling his solemn duty to protect Texans and all Americans."Paxton was the first attorney general to file a brief in support of the original immigration order in February after it was blocked by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. The brief filed Monday says the 4th Circuit shouldn't follow that decision, which was "wrongly decided."But opponents say the renewed order doesn't address their concerns, including one about religious discrimination. The six countries included in the travel ban are majority Muslim. The brief says the order does not discriminate against religion because it classifies those seeking entry into the country by nationality, not religion. The president, the brief argues, is allowed to suspend the entry of "all aliens" or "any class of aliens" if their entry would be detrimental to the country. Texas is joined in the brief by the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia, as well as Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant.   Continue reading...