In an unusual decision highlighting potential issues within the Department of Justice, a federal judge has appointed a special counsel to investigate a DOJ lawyer’s actions in a case concerning migrant families. The case revolves around allegations of the government’s mishandling of separated families at the U.S.-Mexico border. This move by the judiciary underscores the…
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has initiated a civil rights investigation into Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, focusing on allegations that his office provided preferential treatment to undocumented immigrants in criminal cases. The probe aims to determine whether such practices resulted in discrimination against U.S. citizens. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated,…
In a contentious legal battle, four protesters have initiated a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over the collection and permanent storage of DNA samples during protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The complaint, filed in an Illinois district court, seeks an injunction to halt…
The Trump administration’s approach to the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) case, currently before the Supreme Court, embodies a significant executive power grab over immigration policy—a familiar scenario in U.S. legal history. The administration contends that Congress has authorized the executive branch to control TPS decisions without judicial review, according to the legal fight that is…
Former Wisconsin state judge Hannah C. Dugan remains unable to overturn her obstruction conviction involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, despite a recent ruling by the Fourth Circuit, according to federal prosecutors. The government emphasized that the Fourth Circuit’s decision, though relevant, does not carry binding authority over Dugan’s case. This underscores the intricate…
Recently, the 4th Circuit Court expressed doubt regarding the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) revised policy on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests at places of worship. DHS had previously instructed agents to avoid enforcement at religious sites “to the fullest extent possible.” However, the updated guidance now encourages officers to apply discretion and…
In the complex landscape of the current U.S. Supreme Court, legal analysts often find themselves navigating intricate dynamics among the nine justices. While some observers, like Sarah Isgur in her recent best-selling book, describe this composition as a “3-3-3 court,” Rory Little provides a more nuanced perspective in his latest column. Little argues for a…
A federal judge in Rhode Island has initiated disciplinary proceedings against Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Bolan, citing a “lack of candor” for failing to disclose a foreign homicide warrant during a detainee’s release hearing. U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose released Bryan Rafael Gomez, a Dominican national, after a habeas corpus petition. Unbeknownst to her,…
The Trump administration executed a series of deportation deals known as third-country transfer agreements, facilitating the transfer of over 17,400 individuals to more than 30 countries. These transfers often occurred in defiance of federal court orders and despite successful habeas corpus petitions by the affected individuals, as highlighted by information from Human Rights First and…
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is facing legal scrutiny after attempting to leverage a 1930s customs law to access data from Google concerning a Canadian citizen. This individual had reportedly criticized the Trump administration’s response to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents earlier this year in Minneapolis, according…
The Department of Justice (DOJ) faces scrutiny over its handling of a pivotal immigration legal aid initiative. A year after announcing plans to transition a program traditionally run by nonprofits into a federal in-house operation, critics lament the apparent neglect of this commitment. Despite initial declarations, there are no visible measures taken to implement the…
A recent courtroom confrontation in Rhode Island has highlighted issues surrounding transparency and disclosure in federal immigration cases. According to details from Law360, a federal judge sharply questioned an assistant U.S. attorney over the nondisclosure of a homicide warrant for a noncitizen detainee. The judge’s inquiry followed allegations by the Department of Homeland Security that…
In a session that has garnered attention from legal professionals across the United States, the highest court in Massachusetts expressed clear unease over the actions of a state district court judge in connection with an incident involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The justice’s concerns revolve around a 2018 offer from the judge to…
In a decision that has attracted considerable legal attention, a Minnesota federal magistrate judge has elected not to obstruct the authorization of a military attorney to prosecute a civilian accused of assaulting federal immigration officers. This ruling is raising eyebrows, particularly because it contravenes binding regulations set forth by the U.S. Department of Defense. The…
A federal judge has intervened to block the Trump administration’s attempt to terminate temporary deportation protections for nearly 3,000 Yemeni nationals residing in the United States. US District Judge Dale Ho, presiding in the Southern District of New York, issued his decision favoring Yemeni plaintiffs challenging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over plans to…
On April 15, an unusual statement from the Supreme Court’s Public Information Office was released, where Justice Sonia Sotomayor apologized for her “inappropriate” and “hurtful” remarks about Justice Brett Kavanaugh. This apology was related to comments she made about Kavanaugh’s concurrence in Noem v. Perdomo, where she insinuated that Kavanaugh’s privileged background influenced his perspective…
The Nebraska College of Law has announced the closure of its immigration clinic, citing staffing challenges as the primary reason for this decision. This move signals a significant development in the landscape of legal education, particularly in the realm of immigration law, where hands-on experiences are crucial for students aiming to enter the field. The…
In a recent decision, a federal judge in Washington, D.C. denied a request from a Minnesota-based human rights group to halt the practice of conducting closed immigration hearings. The organization sought to prevent immigration judges from limiting public and media access, arguing that this practice infringes on transparency and the public’s right to information. However,…
The recent revelations from the shadow docket memos offer a glimpse into how the Supreme Court has been interpreting legal arguments without full briefing and oral arguments. A significant focus of these memos has been the varied reliance on statements from government officials in determining case outcomes. The shadow docket, a term that describes the…
The Supreme Court recently heard arguments regarding the Trump administration’s move to terminate the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals from Haiti and Syria, a program that has been in place for over a decade. The TPS program, established by legislation in 1990, allows foreign nationals from designated countries to remain in the United States…
The final day of oral arguments for the term at the U.S. Supreme Court witnessed significant developments in the realm of voting rights and immigration policy. The courtroom was filled with anticipation, especially after a week marked by the attendance of six Republican-appointed justices at the White House state dinner for British royalty, a detail…
The U.S. Supreme Court recently indicated skepticism regarding its role in reviewing lower court decisions related to ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals from Syria and Haiti. The issue arose from legal challenges to the Trump administration’s decision to terminate the TPS program, which affects hundreds of thousands of individuals who have taken refuge…
The recent decision by the UN Human Rights Committee has brought Sweden’s deportation practices under scrutiny, especially concerning the 2016 and 2019 deportations of a severely disabled child, referred to as E.B. This case involved E.B., an Albanian national diagnosed with autism, spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, epilepsy, and other life-threatening conditions. These complex medical…
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised concerns that the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup could become a platform for exclusion and fear, driven by US immigration policies and threats to media freedom. In a comprehensive 79-page guide for journalists, HRW highlighted how the tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico,…
March 11, 2026, marked a critical moment for Thomson Reuters, as about 200 employees, primarily from its Westlaw operations in St. Paul, Minnesota, sent management a forceful letter. Their directive was clear: cease the $22.8 million contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) expiring on May 31. Read more. This demand arose in a…