Advocacy groups sue Trump administration seeking release of legal memo justifying boat strikes

Main Idea: Advocacy groups sued the Trump administration to force the release of the legal memo that justifies U.S. military boat strikes against alleged drug traffickers.

Key Points:

• The lawsuit says the strikes have killed at least 87 people since early September and may be illegal.
• The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups want the Justice, State, and Defense departments to turn over records on the legal reasoning.
• The case follows a failed Freedom of Information Act request and comes after reports that survivors of an early strike were later killed in a second attack.
• The administration has not released the memo, while critics say past governments have disclosed similar legal justifications with sensitive details redacted.