Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Tuesday praised former acting Attorney General Sally Yates for her "courageous leadership."

"With her decision not to defend the executive order regarding immigration, Sally Yates displayed the fierce intellect, unshakeable integrity, and deep commitment to the rule of law that have characterized her 27 years of distinguished service to the Department of Justice under both Democratic and Republican administrations," Lynch said in a statement.

"Her courageous leadership embodies the highest traditions of the Department of Justice, whose first duty is always to the American people, and to the Constitution that protects our rights and safeguards our liberties."

Loretta Lynch statement on Sally Yates: "Her courageous leadership embodies the highest traditions of the Department of Justice..." pic.twitter.com/DN4mkDwVxw — Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) January 31, 2017

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President Trump on Monday night fired Yates just hours after she ordered that the Justice Department not defend the president's controversial executive order on immigration.

The order bars people from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia from entering the country for 90 days; suspends the country's refugee resettlement program for 120 days; and indefinitely suspends resettlement of refugees from Syria.

The White House on Monday issued a statement saying Yates, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Senate Republicans face tough decision on replacing Ginsburg Cruz: Trump should nominate a Supreme Court justice next week MORE, had "betrayed the U.S. government."

In the statement, the statement said Yates was "weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration."

"It is time to get serious about protecting our country," the statement said.

Trump selected Dana Boente, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to replace Yates until his attorney general nominee, Sen. Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsTrump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status White House officials voted by show of hands on 2018 family separations: report MORE (R-Ala.), is confirmed by the Senate.

Obama nominated Yates for deputy attorney general in December 2014. She was confirmed by the Senate in May 2015, making her the Justice Department's No. 2 under Lynch.