Attorney General Lori Swanson has joined a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the president’s executive order banning refugees and travelers from a list of predominantly Muslim nations from entering the United States.
Minnesota joins the attorneys general of Washington state, New York, Virginia and Massachusetts in taking action against the ban.
In a statement released late Wednesday by the attorney general’s office, Swanson says the “executive order that imposes blanket entry restrictions to the United States for people from certain countries is unconstitutional.”
“It does not pass constitutional muster, is inconsistent with our history as a nation, and undermines our national security,” Swanson wrote in the statement. “America can keep its people safe without sacrificing bedrock constitutional principles.”
On Monday, Washington became the first state to file a lawsuit against the administration. The state is seeking a restraining order to stop enforcement of the ban.
The lawsuit filed by Washington state is supported by major corporations concerned about the impact of the travel ban on the economy and their employees. It alleges the order is “overbroad in imposing a blanket travel ban on people from certain countries.”
Meanwhile, at least five U.S. District Court judges have issued rulings that block portions of the executive order.
U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr. of Los Angeles granted a temporary restraining order against matadorbet the executive order on behalf of 28 Yemeni-born people. According to the Los Angeles Times, the group consists of U.S. citizens living here and family members who remained behind in Yemen but had received visas to come to the country.
Locally, the president’s order was met with a protest by about 1,500 people outside the main terminal at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for several hours Sunday and a similar demonstration in downtown Minneapolis Tuesday with a group that swelled to at least 5,000.
The two Minnesota firms with the most globally diverse work forces — Cargill Inc. and 3M Co. — said Monday they are closely monitoring Trump’s travel restrictions for their effects on employees and their work.
“Cargill is working with its travel and security partners to determine what the action means for our employees,” the Wayzata-based company said in an e-mailed statement. “We will continue to monitor the situation since it is evolving rapidly. Cargill is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive global workforce.”
A 3M representative said the firm is monitoring the situation.
Twitter: @KarenAnelZamora
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