Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Class action complaint filed — Gonzalez v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security — Seven people formerly detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement filed a class action complaint in D.D.C. alleging that ICE has maintained a de facto policy since January 2025 of not returning property—including passports, Employment Authorization Documents, driver's licenses, cell phones, and money—seized from people detained for civil immigration purposes after their release. Plaintiffs allege the policy violates the Fourth Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act and seek class certification, declaratory relief, vacatur of the policy, and an injunction requiring ICE to return property or explain its basis for withholding it.

Supporting reports

• Government Accountability Office found Trump's funding cancellation unconstitutional — The Government Accountability Office sent a letter to congressional leaders on September 29 stating that Trump's cancellation of $810 million in federal funding, primarily for Health and Human Services programs serving refugees and asylum seekers, violated the Constitution. Trump used the "pocket rescission" process to bypass Congress, ensuring the funds would go unspent before the end of the fiscal year.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed: State of Colorado v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security — The State of Colorado filed a federal complaint challenging DHS and ICE's award of a five-year contract to The GEO Group to renovate and operate the former Hudson Correctional Facility as a 1,200-bed civil immigration detention center (Big Horn facility). Colorado alleges DHS violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to prepare an environmental impact statement, violated the Administrative Procedure Act by acting arbitrarily and capriciously without explanation for departing from prior NEPA review practice, and violated the Immigration and Nationality Act by failing to ensure local infrastructure could support the facility. Colorado seeks declaratory relief, vacatur and stay of the contract, preliminary and permanent injunctions, and remand to the agencies.

Supporting reports

• María Elvira Salazar criticizes Trump immigration enforcement in CBS interview — Republican congresswoman María Elvira Salazar doubled down on criticism of Trump's mass deportation agenda in a CBS News Face the Nation interview, warning that administration advisers were "compromising his legacy" and not presenting the "whole picture" on immigration policy. She referenced July 2026 ICE detentions in which 50% of 50,000 people detained had no criminal record, and urged Trump not to "squander" his relationship with Hispanic voters who helped elect him in 2024. Trump responded the same day, dismissing her concerns.

Supporting reports

• Ilhan Omar introduces Make ICE Pay Act to redirect $140bn in immigration enforcement funding — U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar introduced the Make ICE Pay Act on September 17, 2026, which would block nearly $140 billion in funding previously designated for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) under Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The bill redirects those funds to states, local governments, nonprofits, and small businesses harmed by Trump's immigration enforcement crackdowns, including Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, which resulted in nearly 4,000 arrests, two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens, and approximately $700 million in community damage. Grants could fund economic relief, educational assistance, psychosocial support, and investigations into enforcement abuses.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge blocks Minnesota extradition request for Texas ICE agent accused of shooting — Christian Castro, a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, was charged in Minnesota with assault and falsely reporting a crime after allegedly shooting Venezuelan man Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg in January. Minnesota sought his extradition from Texas custody, but US District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., a Trump appointee, declined to order Texas to comply. Texas Governor Greg Abbott refused the extradition request, citing unrelated fraud investigations in Minnesota. Castro faces release from Texas jail under state law after 90 days of detention.
• Texas federal judge denies Minnesota extradition request for ICE agent — Christian Castro, an ICE agent charged with shooting and injuring a man in Minneapolis, was released from a jail in Texas after a federal judge denied Minnesota's request to keep him in custody. Minnesota officials had filed a lawsuit asking a judge to order Governor Greg Abbott to sign an extradition request so Castro would return to the state to face four counts of assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. of the Southern District of Texas sided with Texas, allowing Castro's release and permitting Texas to continue weighing whether to comply with the extradition request. Minnesota officials expressed concern that Castro will flee to Mexico to evade the justice system if released. Castro is charged with shooting and injuring Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan immigrant, and then lying about the circumstances of the shooting.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed: National Housing Law Project v. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — The National Housing Law Project filed a FOIA lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against HUD, DHS, and USCIS, alleging that the agencies failed to respond to eight FOIA requests submitted between April and June 2026 seeking records on data-sharing agreements related to HUD's directive requiring immigration eligibility verification of HUD-assisted households. The complaint alleges violations of the Freedom of Information Act and seeks an order compelling production of non-exempt records, a Vaughn index, expedited processing, and an injunction against continued withholding.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed: Knight First Amendment Institute v. Office of Management and Budget — The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University filed a FOIA lawsuit in federal court challenging the Office of Management and Budget's failure to release records concerning decisions by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs to approve or disapprove four proposed policies requiring foreign travelers and immigrants to disclose their social media identifiers to the government. The complaint alleges unlawful withholding of responsive records and failure to act on fee waiver requests, seeking an order compelling disclosure and barring assessment of search and review fees.

Supporting reports

• Department of Justice files complaints against New York, Connecticut, and Vermont over in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants — The Department of Justice announced the filing of lawsuits against New York, Connecticut, and Vermont, challenging state laws that provide in-state tuition rates and financial assistance to undocumented immigrants. The DOJ alleges these laws discriminate against U.S. citizens, create incentives for illegal immigration, and conflict with federal law. The complaints seek to enjoin enforcement of the tuition and scholarship provisions. This marks the 17th such lawsuit; five prior cases in Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Illinois have resulted in favorable orders for the federal government.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge approves Trump administration termination of South Sudan TPS protections — U.S. District Judge Patti Saris of Massachusetts ruled on August 7, 2026, that the Trump administration may proceed with stripping Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from South Sudanese nationals in the United States. The decision rejected arguments by immigrant rights organizations including African Communities Together. Saris concluded that the Department of Homeland Security possessed authority to terminate TPS designations, following a June 2026 Supreme Court ruling (6-3) that had already allowed termination of TPS for Haitians and Syrians. Approximately 232 South Sudanese TPS holders and 73 with pending applications face loss of legal work and residency protections.
• Motion denied — African Communities Together v. Noem (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-13939 — Judge Saris denied Plaintiffs' motion to amend their complaint to add two additional claims and their renewed motion to postpone the termination of South Sudan's TPS designation, concluding that Plaintiffs' two proposed claims - that only the Attorney General, not the Secretary of Homeland Security, may terminate a TPS designation, and that the termination violated procedural due process - “would be futile” and are unlikely to succeed on the merits.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed — Rahman Petit v. Blanche (D.D.C. 1:26-cv-02765) — Anam Rahman Petit, a former immigration judge at DOJ's Executive Office for Immigration Review, filed suit in D.D.C. challenging her termination effective September 9, 2025, which occurred days before her conversion to permanent status. Petit alleges DOJ violated Title VII by removing her based on sex, race, and national origin, and violated the First Amendment by terminating her based on Democratic affiliation and prior association with immigrants' rights organizations. She seeks reinstatement, back pay, front pay, compensatory damages, and declaratory relief. DOJ's EEO office had dismissed her administrative complaint on May 11, 2026, asserting the Attorney General's Article II removal power placed the matter beyond Title VII's scope.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge blocks New York's ban on ICE officers wearing masks — US District Judge Mae D'Agostino of the federal court in Albany issued a preliminary ruling blocking enforcement of New York's law that banned ICE agents from wearing face coverings and required visible identification. The judge found the state law likely violates the Supremacy Clause of the US Constitution, which bars states from regulating federal law enforcement. However, D'Agostino allowed New York's separate ban on local police cooperation with ICE (287(g) agreements) to remain in effect, finding it a legitimate exercise of state authority over resource allocation.
• Federal judge blocks New York mask-and-ID rule for ICE agents — U.S. District Judge Mae D'Agostino blocked New York's requirement that ICE agents uncover their faces and display identification during enforcement operations, while refusing to block the state law ending local police cooperation with ICE. The judge acknowledged legitimate state concerns about masked, unidentified federal agents but ruled that states cannot regulate how federal officers conduct their duties.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed — State of New York v. Administration for Children and Families (D.D.C. 1:26-cv-02726) — New York and 24 other states plus the District of Columbia filed a complaint challenging a System of Records Notice (SORN) issued by the Administration for Children and Families on June 23, 2026. The SORN authorizes disclosure of TANF recipients' Social Security numbers, immigration status, marital status, and other personal information to the Department of Homeland Security and other entities. Plaintiffs allege the SORN exceeds statutory authority, violates confidentiality protections, was adopted without required Privacy Act procedures, and imposes an unforeseeable condition on states' receipt of TANF funds. Plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief and vacatur of the SORN.

Supporting reports

• Immigration courts accelerate case processing, leading to missed hearings and deportations — The Trump administration has accelerated case processing through immigration courts, resulting in historically high numbers of missed court dates. Overworked judges are deciding hundreds of cases daily, often in less than five minutes per case. Individuals who miss their court dates are immediately ordered deported. The rapid processing denies immigrants adequate opportunity to present their cases or obtain legal representation.

Supporting reports

• US appeals court rejects Trump administration bid to redetain Georgetown scholar Badar Khan Suri — The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Trump administration's attempt to redetain Badar Khan Suri, an Indian postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University arrested by ICE in March 2025 for pro-Palestinian social media speech. The 2-1 decision upheld a lower court's bail release and rejected the government's motion to move the case from Virginia to Texas, affirming that detained immigrants retain habeas corpus rights to challenge detention in federal court even during pending removal proceedings.

Supporting reports

• House Democrats received ICE briefing on excessive force complaints — House Homeland Security Committee Democrats received a closed-door briefing from ICE officials on excessive force complaints. ICE disclosed 56 complaints of excessive force against officers, with 32 cleared, one officer referred for possible disciplinary action, and the remainder under investigation. Rep. Seth Magaziner called the single referral out of 56 complaints "defying belief." Two fatal shootings occurred in the prior week in Maine and Houston; deaths in immigration enforcement encounters have risen since 2025 deportation surge began.

Supporting reports

• Twenty-five Democratic attorneys general sue Trump administration over politicized FEMA disaster aid conditions — Twenty-five Democratic state attorneys general, led by California's Rob Bonta, filed a federal lawsuit in Rhode Island challenging the Trump administration's imposition of "unlawful" conditions on over $740 million in federal disaster preparedness and counter-terrorism grants. The conditions require states to implement federal voter citizenship verification systems, conduct post-election audits, and assist ICE in deportation operations. The lawsuit also challenges FEMA's new authority to cancel grants if states are deemed misaligned with agency priorities. A Trump-appointed judge previously ruled similar conditions "unconscionable and unlawful."
• Twenty-five states and D.C. sued federal government over conditional disaster and homeland security funding — Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia filed a federal lawsuit in Rhode Island challenging FEMA and DHS conditions on billions of dollars in annual disaster relief and homeland security grants. The conditions require states to convert to paper ballots, conduct manual audits, reconcile voter registration lists, verify citizenship of all registered voters, assist DHS in immigration enforcement, and accept DHS authority to withdraw all grants at will. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha characterized the conditions as "unlawfully withholding billions in critical funding" to coerce election and immigration policy changes.
• Complaint filed — State of Illinois v. Federal Emergency Management Agency — On July 23, 2026, 25 states, the District of Columbia, and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for Rhode Island challenging FEMA's new Fiscal Year 2026 Homeland Security Grant Program conditions. The conditions require states to transition to hand-marked paper ballots, conduct post-election audits, verify voter and election worker citizenship using federal immigration databases, and comply with other election and immigration-related mandates as a prerequisite to receiving over $1 billion in federal preparedness funding. Plaintiffs allege the conditions exceed FEMA's statutory authority, are arbitrary and capricious, and violate the Spending Clause. They seek declaratory judgment, vacatur, injunctive relief, and a writ of mandamus.

Supporting reports

• Department of Justice sues Colorado over in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants — The Department of Justice filed suit against Colorado, alleging that state laws providing in-state tuition and financial aid to undocumented immigrants violate federal law by discriminating against U.S. citizens and creating incentives for illegal immigration. The complaint seeks to enjoin enforcement of Colorado statutes that extend in-state tuition rates to all residents regardless of immigration status. DOJ characterized this as its 14th such lawsuit and cited prior favorable orders in Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.

Supporting reports

• Senator Angus King and 38 Democratic senators demand investigation of ICE shootings — Senator Angus King (I-ME) and 38 Democratic senators sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin demanding "immediate, thorough, independent, and transparent investigations" of the shooting deaths of Araujo and Guerrero. The letter noted that former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and White House immigration advisor Tom Homan committed to equipping agents with body cameras, yet agents involved in the recent shootings were not equipped with cameras. The senators noted that ICE acting director David Venturella promised Congress that all field agents would be equipped with cameras by end of July and demanded identification of vetting processes, traffic stop policy reviews, and oversight measures.

Supporting reports

• Department of Justice sued Maryland over sanctuary immigration policies — The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Maryland and Attorney General Anthony Brown, alleging that the state's sanctuary policies obstruct federal immigration law enforcement in violation of the Supremacy Clause. The complaint alleges that Maryland facilities have refused to transfer individuals to federal custody when presented with federal immigration detainers. The DOJ characterized the policies as illegal and stated that 20 similar lawsuits have been filed against other states and localities.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed — Doe v. Mullin (E.D. Va.) — J. Doe, a noncitizen subject to a 2017 removal order, filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Virginia challenging a Department of Homeland Security civil penalty of $1,820,352 imposed under an Interim Final Rule issued June 27, 2025. The rule, promulgated by ICE and the Executive Office for Immigration Review, expedited civil penalties against noncitizens alleged to be unlawfully present. Doe alleges the penalty is functionally unpayable, designed to coerce self-deportation, and violates the Eighth Amendment's Excessive Fines Clause, the Fifth Amendment's due process guarantees, and the Administrative Procedure Act. Doe seeks vacatur of the penalty notice, injunctive relief barring collection, and declarations that the rule is unconstitutional.

Supporting reports

• US Supreme Court rules TPS determinations largely exempt from judicial review — The US Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision holding that the Department of Homeland Security Secretary's Temporary Protected Status (TPS) determinations and processes are generally not subject to judicial review, except for constitutional claims. The ruling affects approximately 1.3 million immigrants, with immediate consequences for over 300,000 Haitian and several thousand Syrian TPS holders who are expected to lose protections and work authorization. Justice Kagan's dissent warned the decision enables arbitrary termination without evaluation of country conditions.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court approves asylum metering policy at US-Mexico border — The US Supreme Court ruled to approve the "metering" asylum policy at the US-Mexico border, a system previously rescinded that controlled the number of people processed at legal ports of entry. Under metering, US officials turned back asylum seekers before they reached US soil, forcing them to wait indefinitely in dangerous Mexican border towns. The ruling potentially opens the door for re-implementation regardless of the current administration's immigration stance.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed: Iranian American Legal Defense Fund v. Rubio et al. (D.D.C.) — The Iranian American Legal Defense Fund (IALDF), a nonprofit providing legal services to Iranian asylum seekers, filed suit in D.D.C. against Secretary of State Marco Rubio, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and Acting ICE Director David Venturella, alleging that the administration adopted a policy in March 2025 of sharing confidential immigration and asylum records of detained Iranian nationals with Iran's Interest Section at the Embassy of Pakistan. The complaint alleges U.S. officials met monthly with Iranian representatives to hand over removal orders, asylum applications, and protected records; facilitated in-person meetings between Iranian officials and detained asylum seekers inside ICE facilities; and allowed Iran to help select individuals for mass deportation flights. IALDF seeks declaratory judgment, vacatur of the policy, injunctions barring further disclosures and deportations pending review, and notice to affected individuals.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed — Trilleras Gomez v. Mullin — Dr. Angelica Paola Trilleras Gomez and her spouse Jonathan Alan Liao filed a complaint in D.D.C. challenging USCIS's March 26, 2025 denial of Dr. Trilleras's Form I-612 exceptional-hardship waiver application for her J-1 exchange visa's two-year foreign residence requirement. USCIS denied the application based on an alleged unwritten rule that it would not review waiver applications from persons with previously approved, though unutilized, J-1 waivers, without considering the merits. Plaintiffs allege the denial was arbitrary and capricious, an unlawful subdelegation of statutory authority, and that the State Department's unwritten rule is ultra vires for failure to undergo notice-and-comment rulemaking. Dr. Trilleras, a nephrologist, seeks declaratory relief, vacatur, an injunction, remand for merits adjudication, and an order requiring the State Department to review her application unhindered by the prior waiver.