Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump administration planned to mark 2.7 million living people as dead, whistleblower says — The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration planned to mark 2.7 million living people as dead, according to a whistleblower who worked at the Social Security Administration for 25 years and refused to help reclassify the people after agency lawyers warned doing so could violate federal law. The move, which the whistleblower says was possibly meant to intimidate immigrants and affect their finances, included some U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents.

Supporting reports

• ICE transfers hunger strike leader Martín Soto to another facility — ICE transferred Martín Soto, a key organizer of the hunger and labor strike at Delaney Hall, to another detention facility. Advocates allege the transfer was retaliatory action against Soto for organizing the strike. The transfer prompted escalated protests outside the facility on May 28.

Supporting reports

• ICE whistleblower testifies on unconstitutional training practices — During congressional testimony, ICE whistleblower Ryan Schwank, a former ICE lawyer at the training academy, revealed that the agency's 584-hour training program for new deportation officers had been cut by 240 hours and that he received "secretive orders" to teach recruits "to violate the Constitution by entering homes without a judicial warrant."
• Former ICE instructor testified about inadequate training for new officers — Ryan Schwank, a former ICE instructor and attorney who resigned from the agency less than two weeks prior, testified to Congress that the agency's efforts to rapidly scale up its ranks will place recruits on the streets without adequate training to lawfully carry out immigration enforcement. Schwank stated that new cadets are graduating from the Academy despite widespread concerns among training staff that they cannot demonstrate a solid grasp of the tactics or law required to perform their jobs. He testified that ICE has cut 240 hours of training from a 584-hour program, eliminating classes on the Constitution, the legal system, firearms, use of force, lawful arrests, proper detention, and the limits of officers' authority. Schwank characterized the ICE Basic Immigration Enforcement Training Program as "deficient, defective, and broken" and stated that ICE is lying about the amount of training new recruits are receiving.
• Ryan Schwank resigned from ICE in protest — Ryan Schwank, an attorney and former career ICE employee, resigned from the agency less than two weeks prior to testifying before Congress. A spokesperson for Whistleblower Aid, the legal group representing Schwank, stated that he quit the agency in protest. His resignation represents one of the first instances of an ICE official who has served under the second Trump administration publicly rebuking the agency and the adequacy of its training.

Supporting reports

• New York Attorney General launches Federal Action Reporting Portal for ICE raid documentation — New York Attorney General Letitia James unveiled a "Federal Action Reporting Portal" form inviting residents to submit photos and videos of federal immigration enforcement actions, following a high-profile ICE raid in Manhattan's Chinatown on October 22. The raid involved over 50 federal agents, an armored vehicle, and resulted in the arrest and detention of four U.S. citizens for nearly 24 hours with no charges filed. James stated the portal aims to document potential violations of law and protect New Yorkers from fear and intimidation.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration dismantles civil rights and detention oversight offices — The Trump administration dismantled the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) and the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO), two federal offices that provided oversight of healthcare and other conditions in immigration detention facilities. The removal of these oversight bodies occurred concurrently with expanded ICE detention practices and reduced bond availability for detainees.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration orders mass layoffs at Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — The Trump administration, through staff from Elon Musk's "Department of Government Efficiency," issued reduction-in-force letters terminating approximately 1,500 of the CFPB's 1,700 employees on April 17. The layoffs eliminated entire divisions including the office of servicemember affairs, office of older Americans, and office of fair lending. According to an employee declaration, the effort was managed by Gavin Kliger and staff were kept working 36 hours straight to ensure notices went out. Employees raised concerns about violations of court orders requiring "particularized assessment," but were told "all that mattered was the numbers."
• Federal judge bars Trump administration from rapid deportation policy — Federal Judge Brian Murphy on Friday barred the Trump administration from implementing a new policy that would allow it to rapidly deport hundreds or thousands of immigrants to countries other than their own without giving them an opportunity to demonstrate they face persecution, torture, or death. The ruling blocks a policy that would circumvent due process protections for asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants.
• Federal judge blocks mass layoffs at Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Judge Amy Berman Jackson issued a ruling blocking the Trump administration's termination of approximately 1,500 of the CFPB's 1,700 employees, announced on Thursday via reduction-in-force letters. The layoffs, orchestrated by staff from Elon Musk's "Department of Government Efficiency," eliminated entire divisions including servicemember affairs, older Americans, and fair lending offices. The judge's order came after a federal appeals court had modified (but not eliminated) an earlier injunction limiting the agency's ability to terminate staff. The administration's compliance with the ruling remains unclear.

Supporting reports

• Social Security Administration executive physically dragged from office by DOGE staff — Greg Pearre, a senior executive at the Social Security Administration in charge of an IT team working on the agency's data systems, was physically dragged from his office this week after a dispute with DOGE staff. Pearre had objected to DOGE's effort to cut off immigrants from being able to access bank accounts or credit cards.

Supporting reports

• Trump orders DOJ to investigate Chris Krebs for election security statements — President Trump signed a presidential memorandum on April 9, 2025, ordering the Department of Justice to investigate Chris Krebs, former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Krebs coordinated efforts to secure the 2020 presidential election and publicly countered false claims of voter fraud. Trump accused Krebs of weaponizing his position against free speech and stripped him of his security clearance. Trump repeated debunked claims of a "badly rigged election" and suggested Krebs would "have a big price to pay" if the election was found to be unsafe.
• Trump orders DOJ to investigate Miles Taylor for alleged classified leaks and defiance — President Trump signed a presidential memorandum on April 9, 2025, ordering the Department of Justice to investigate Miles Taylor, a former Department of Homeland Security official who served as chief of staff to Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Taylor, who wrote an anonymous 2018 New York Times op-ed criticizing Trump and later published a book under the pseudonym "Anonymous," was accused of leaking classified information. Trump stripped Taylor of his security clearance and stated he believed Taylor was guilty of treason. Taylor responded that Trump had proven his point by weaponizing the justice department for revenge against dissent.
• Trump stripped security clearances from Christopher Krebs and Miles Taylor — On April 9, Trump revoked security clearances from Christopher Krebs, former head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and Miles Taylor, a former Department of Homeland Security staffer. Trump claimed Krebs censored Trump loyalists by affirming the 2020 election was not stolen, and that Taylor's anonymous op-ed and book were treasonous and violated the Espionage Act. Trump also ordered government officials to investigate both men and recommend "appropriate remedial or preventative actions." CISA employees reported the attack on Krebs had disheartened staff and compounded staffing cuts that had "already severely degraded our capacity to defend critical infrastructure."
• White House issued fact sheet on presidential memorandum revoking Chris Krebs' security clearance — The White House published a fact sheet on April 9, 2025, describing a Presidential Memorandum signed by President Trump that revokes any active security clearance held by Chris Krebs and associates, including individuals at SentinelOne. The memorandum directs federal agencies to immediately revoke such clearances and calls for a comprehensive review of Krebs' activities as former head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), including evaluation of CISA's conduct over six years. The fact sheet characterizes Krebs as having "weaponized" government authority to suppress conservative viewpoints, coerce social media platforms, and censor election information.
• White House issued memorandum directing revocation of Christopher Krebs' security clearance and review of CISA activities — The White House issued a presidential memorandum on April 9, 2025, directing executive agencies to revoke the security clearance of Christopher Krebs, former head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The memorandum alleges that Krebs engaged in censorship of speech related to the 2020 election and COVID-19, and directed coercion of social media platforms. It further directs the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to review Krebs' conduct as a federal employee and CISA's activities over the preceding six years, with a joint report to follow.
• Immigration judge rules Palestinian organizer Mahmoud Khalil eligible for deportation based on Secretary of State memo regarding his political views — An immigration judge in Louisiana ruled that Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and Palestinian organizer, is eligible for deportation. The ruling accepted a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that Khalil's "beliefs, statements or associations" are counter to U.S. foreign policy interests as sufficient evidence for removal of a lawful permanent resident. The judge determined she had no authority to rule on free speech concerns. Khalil, arrested by ICE in March, has been detained in Louisiana for over a month. His legal team plans to appeal and pursue an asylum case.

Supporting reports

• DOJ lawyer placed on leave for insufficient defense of erroneous deportation — Federal DOJ attorney Erez Reuveni was placed on administrative leave by Deputy US Attorney General Todd Blanche after failing to "vigorously" defend the Trump administration's position in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a legally resident Salvadoran immigrant erroneously deported to El Salvador. US District Judge Paula Xinis had ordered Garcia's return to Maryland, calling his detention "wholly lawless." Reuveni acknowledged an "absence of evidence" justifying the deportation. His supervisor, August Flentje, was also placed on leave. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the action on Fox News Sunday.
• DOJ placed immigration lawyer on indefinite leave for conceding wrongful deportation — The Justice Department placed an immigration lawyer on indefinite leave after he conceded in court that the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia should not have happened. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that DOJ attorneys are "required to zealously advocate" for the government or they will "face consequences." The administration had previously admitted it deported Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father with protected legal status, to El Salvador due to an "administrative error."
• DOJ suspends lawyer for honest testimony about wrongful deportation — The Washington Post reported that the Department of Justice suspended lawyer Erez Reuveni, who worked at DOJ for 15 years specializing in immigration cases, after he admitted in court that the agency mistakenly deported Kilmar Abrego García to a prison in El Salvador and conceded that he did not know the legal basis for the expulsion. Reuveni was placed on indefinite leave for being honest when the judge asked him questions. AG Pam Bondi issued a statement requiring "every DOJ attorney to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States" and warning that "any attorney who fails to abide by this direction will face consequences."