Pre-emptive hysteria? Looks it.

Trump promised a ban on Muslim immigration during the campaign, and Trump shows signs of being a promise-keeper.

So is all this racket about his 7-country, temporary interruption (and full stop on Syrian refugees) an effort to stop him before he gets that far?

USA Today reports.

Last Friday, President Trump signed an executive order suspending refugee resettlement and entry into the U.S. of people from several countries. 

The move prompted protests, court cases and more. 

Here’s what we know about the order, who it may impact and more.

Trump suspended all refugee resettlement into the U.S for four months and refugee resettlement from Syria indefinitely. 

He also suspended for three months entry by citizens of seven majority-Muslim nations — Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — on immigrant or non-immigrant visas, including apparently people holding dual citizenship with other nations.

CNN reports.

Trump fires acting AG after she declines to defend travel ban

President Donald Trump fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates Monday night for "refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States," the White House said.

"(Yates) has betrayed the Department of Justice," the White House statement said.

Dana Boente, US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, was sworn in at 9 p.m. ET, per an administration official. 

A few hours later, Boente issued a statement rescinding Yates' order, instructing DOJ lawyers to "defend the lawful orders of our President."

Trump didn't call Yates to dismiss her, she was informed by hand-delivered letter, according to a different administration official.

The dramatic move came soon after CNN reported Yates told Justice Department lawyers not to make legal arguments defending Trump's executive order on immigration and refugees.

The move set up a clash between the White House and Yates, who was appointed by President Barack Obama and was set to serve until Sen. Jeff Sessions, Trump's nominee for attorney general, if confirmed.

"My responsibility is to ensure that the position of the Department of Justice is not only legally defensible, but is informed by our best view of what the law is after consideration of all the facts," she said in a letter. 

"In addition, I am responsible for ensuring that the positions we take in court remain consistent with this institution's solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what is right."

There is lots of confusion in the press, apparently due to the wording of the original White House announcement, and even in Sean's comments about what she refused to do.

Looks like the issue was defending the legality of the orders against challenges in court.

And this is why it matters.

ABC News.

Democratic Attorneys General Start Challenges of Trump

They are claiming that the executive orders concerning travelers from the 7 target countries and refugees from Syria are both contrary to the 1965 immigration law that forbids discrimination by, among other things, religion or national origin and unconstitutional because discriminatory by religion.

The second claim is untrue as the orders do not even mention religion and the constitution does not preclude such discrimination in immigration policy or law in any case.

The claim, in reality, is no more than an invitation to liberal judges to launch into a new fit of lying about the constitution in order to build liberal values into that document.

Worth a roll of the dice, eh?

Though punching Bozo in the nose like that could provoke a very unfortunate response. 

The first claim might be right, but Democrats are not in a good position to make the case since Obama imposed a six month ban in 2011 on travelers from Iraq.

And the list of 7 high risk countries was a creation of the Obama administration, too.

Did Trump have every right to fire Yates for refusing to defend his orders in court, by the way?

Absolutely. 

But how is it Trump has the discretionary power to do the things she didn't want to defend?