Khalili says that the harassment persuaded him to stop observing immigration agents “for fear that the federal government would come to their home and arrest him in front of his children,” a concern shared by his wife.
Not all of the states named as defendants have indicated how they will respond; however, both Arkansas and Utah have signaled that they may be willing to cooperate with the administration.
In the meantime, the judge found that the “Presidential and Eleventh Amendment immunity defenses” raised by the Justice Department, representing Trump and his library foundation, must be resolved before any headway can be made toward discovery.
“The presence of federal force at the polls interferes with the smooth administration of elections at the local level,” the lawsuit alleges. “It disrupts voting and makes it more difficult for state and local election officials and law enforcement to do their jobs by making polling places spaces of confrontation.”
ICE, the lawsuit alleges, currently adheres to a policy of “arrest first, ask questions later,” potentially in contravention of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as well as multiple federal statutes.
“Indeed, when Ms. Oyer declined to disregard her duties in order to perform a favor for her politically-appointed superiors and President Trump, she was summarily terminated,” the lawsuit says.
“We will not stand idly by while anti-public lands crusaders attempt to exploit these lands for their extractive-industry friends or disrespect tribal nations,” said Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, whose state is also being sued by the administration, said that young people who grow up in Oregon, go to Oregon schools, and graduate from Oregon high schools “are part of our communities and part of our future.”
“The Trump Administration’s backroom buyout with Golden State Wind to stop offshore wind development in favor of gas and oil drilling is, unfortunately, a classic playbook for them to line the pockets of their Big Oil donors,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement.
The Center for Biological Diversity first filed for a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction against the construction in August, arguing that the project could cause immediate and irreversible damage to the park.