CA Attorney General denounces travel ban at Fresno State meeting

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- California's new Attorney General came to Fresno to say that the President's executive order violates the constitution and harms the people of the state.

Attorney General Xavier Becerra put the state on the record as opposing President Donald Trump's executive order that temporarily restricts travel to seven predominantly Muslim nations, joining Washington, Minnesota and a dozen other states by filing a friend of the court brief.

"The executive order, from everything I can see, was a violation of our constitution and the rights that are provided to people and the laws that we have in place," he said.

Becerra characterized President Trump's order as being "un-American and unconstitutional" for selectively discriminating against Muslims.

"You don't have to dig too deep into the constitution, or the case law that reflects the constitution, to know you can't target someone because of their religious affiliation," Becerra said.

Becerra said the ban hurts the state economy by depriving companies of workers, schools of students, and causing hardship by dividing families. He also vowed to fight the President's talk about cutting federal funding to California and vowed to make sure the state protected the rights of the undocumented who might be targeted.

"There are many ways to try and protect our residents not everything requires litigation," he said. "Often times it will, and we all want to be prepared to do what's in the best interests of the people of our state."

Becerra served 12 terms in Congress and was just appointed Attorney General by Governor Jerry Brown to the office vacated by Senator Kamala Harris. He spoke at the State Crime lab on the Fresno State campus and vowed to not be a stranger to the Central Valley.

"That's why I'm here because I think it's important that the chief law enforcement officer of the state of California makes it clear that Fresno matters," he said.