Washington leads lawsuit against Trump over family separation policy

Washington is leading a coalition of states in a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its recent policy of separating children from parents at the US-Mexico border.

“This is a rogue, cruel, and unconstitutional policy,” Attorney General Bob Ferguson said. “We’re going to put a stop to it.”

Washington planned to file its lawsuit on Thursday, but Trump’s recent executive order halting the family-separation practice caused the Attorney General’s Office to adjust. But it still plans to file its lawsuit withing two business days. The announcement was made along with Governor Jay Inslee Thursday in front of the federal detention center in SeaTac where more than 200 asylum seekers are being held — many who have been separated from their children.

The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project will also file a similar lawsuit against the feds on behalf of people affected by the policy, according to Executive Director Jorge Barón. Barón said that a total of 45 parents held in Washington have been assigned volunteer attorneys to represent them; 35 have been moved to a detention center in Tacoma, and 10 remain at the SeaTac detention center. His organization is still screening asylum-seekers, however, and more parents could be added to the count.

http://mynorthwest.com/1025885/washington-lawsuit-trump-family-separation/