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In the days after President Donald Trump signed a Jan. 27 executive order halting immigration from seven Muslim-majority nations, dozens of Oregon officials—including Gov. Kate Brown and Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum—talked about how the ban was illegal and immoral.
Across the Columbia River, Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson did something: On Jan. 30, he filed a lawsuit challenging the federal government's ability to enforce the ban.
Today, Ferguson's actions got results with nationwide implications. A federal judge in Seattle granted a temporary restraining order that stops U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officials from enforcing Trump's travel ban.
"The Constitution prevailed today," Ferguson told the Seattle Times. "No one is above the law—not even the president."
The scope of the victory seemed to astonish even Ferguson. The Times described the AG's reaction in the courtroom:
"Holy cow," Ferguson said to his colleagues. "Okay."
Even @AGOWA Bob Ferguson seemed stunned at breadth of victory. "Holy cow.. OK" he said to colleagues following ruling #ImmigrationOrder
— Jim Brunner (@Jim_Brunner) February 3, 2017
In Oregon, top state officials still haven't filed any legal challenges to the ban, and seemed to struggle to get on the same page.
Rosenblum described the ban as unconstitutional on Jan. 28. (Disclosure: Rosenblum is married to the co-owner of WW's parent company.)
Four days later—and two days after Ferguson sued—Brown released a letter calling for Rosenblum to sue the federal government to halt the ban.
Nothing happened.
