Maryland AG Brian Frosh joins brief opposing Trump travel ban

WASHINGTON — Democratic attorneys general in Maryland and 15 other states signaled their support Monday for a lawsuit in a federal appeals court over President Donald Trump's temporary ban on travel from several predominately Muslim countries.

The case, pending before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, led to a temporary halt of Trump's executive order over the weekend. The Democratic attorneys general filed an amicus brief.

"The executive order has already generated confusion, disappointment, and fear," said Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh in a statement Monday. "It is not only a policy that is unwise and dangerous, but it is a policy that is inhumane, inappropriate and un-American."

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday that the administration is "absolutely not" thinking about withdrawing the order and will fight the matter in court.

"We're not rethinking our strategy at all," Spicer said. "What we're discussing now has nothing to do with the merits of the order...This is just purely on the injunction that the judge issued. And I think we're going to make that case tonight."