WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has fired Acting Attorney General Sally Yates after she announced she would not defend his controversial immigration order.
He is naming Dana Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to serve in her place.
The White House press office says in a statement Monday that Yates "has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States."
President Trump also replaced the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Monday night, just hours after he fired Yates, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed.
The replacement of Acting ICE Director Daniel Ragsdale came with no explanation. Ragsdale was replaced by Thomas Homan, ICE's executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations since 2013.
"I am confident that he will continue to serve as a strong, effective leader for the men and women of ICE," John Kelly, the secretary of Homeland Security, said in a brief statement.
The statement calls Yates an Obama administration appointee "who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration."
Trump's order from Friday temporarily suspends the U.S. refugee program and bars immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries.
Trump has picked Sen. Jeff Sessions to lead the Justice Department, but he has yet to be confirmed by the Senate.
Statement on the Appointment of Dana Boente as Acting Attorney General The acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, has...
Posted by Donald J. Trump on Monday, January 30, 2017