California and 9 other states plan to sue Trump administration for separating immigrant families

By PATRICK MCGREEVY

California and 9 other states plan to sue Trump administration for separating immigrant families

California is joining nine other states in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging its family separation policy for immigrants in the country illegally violates due process, state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said Thursday.

The action was proposed a day after Trump signed an executive order requiring families detained under the administration’s “zero tolerance” policy on immigration be kept together.

“Children belong with their families, not alone and fearful in metal cages,” Becerra said in a statement. “We are filing this lawsuit because ripping children from their parents is unlawful, wrong and heartless.” The attorney general said Trump’s executive order is “empty and meaningless” and that many children remained separated from their parents.

The states, which also include Washington, Pennsylvania, Illinois and New Jersey, will allege in the legal action planned in the next few days that the family separation policy violates due process rights of parents to be together with their children, Becerra said.

The attorneys general of the 10 states are asking that the Trump administration expand the executive order to create a process for reuniting parents and children detained in recent months.

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http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-may-2018-california-and-other-states-plan-lawsuit-1529616165-htmlstory.html