Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump administration removes Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals; ICE enforces deportations with ankle monitors in Ohio — Following a Supreme Court decision backing the Trump administration on 5 August 2026, federal judge Ana Reyes lifted her stay on the removal of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 350,000 Haitian nationals. ICE subsequently began summoning Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio to a facility in Blue Ash, where they were fitted with ankle monitors restricting travel to 75 miles from their homes. The action affects thousands of Haitians who had legally resided in the US under TPS protections and worked in local manufacturing and food-packaging jobs.
• Trump administration terminates TPS protections for Haitians; DHS begins enforcement and deportations — The Trump administration officially ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti after a June Supreme Court ruling eliminated judicial review of the program. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced "We're going after them right now," directing over 300,000 Haitians to self-deport or face arrest and deportation. A federal judge confirmed the termination on Wednesday. Removal orders for Haitians surged 96% between March and June, and immigration officials have begun fitting Haitians with ankle monitors for tracking and detention, despite Haiti being on the State Department's "do not travel" advisory list due to gang violence and political collapse.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration ends federal legal funding for unaccompanied immigrant children — The Trump administration severed ties with nearly 100 legal organizations providing immigration counsel and ended a federal contract providing legal representation to over 20,000 unaccompanied children, effective July 31, 2026. Federal officials refused to reimburse organizations for $65 million in completed work unless they violated client confidentiality by disclosing sensitive medical and immigration data. The cuts are forcing legal nonprofits into layoffs and closures, leaving children to face immigration court without attorneys. Experts warn children without counsel win relief less than 10% of the time and face expedited deportation proceedings.
• Legal representation contract for immigrant children expires; no-bid contract offered to Trump-connected firm — The Trump administration allowed a contract for legal representation of immigrant children to expire on July 31. The administration then offered a $150 million no-bid contract to a small Texas law firm with no experience in immigration law but with close ties to Trump. Following public outcry, the law firm declined the contract. The action left immigrant children without guaranteed legal representation during deportation proceedings.

Supporting reports

• Governor Abbott designates CAIR a foreign terrorist organization under Texas law — Texas Governor Greg Abbott designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a major Muslim civil rights organization, as a foreign terrorist organization under Texas state law. CAIR has challenged the designation in court. Abbott also sent letters to sheriffs and district attorneys in two north Texas counties urging them to work with Attorney General Paxton to "investigate efforts by entities purporting to illegally enforce sharia law in Texas." A gubernatorial spokesperson claimed the actions target "radical groups who support terrorism and seek to forcibly impose sharia law on Texans."

Supporting reports

• Trump administration directs DOJ to pursue mass denaturalization cases against 384 foreign-born citizens — The Trump administration is directing the Department of Justice to pursue denaturalization cases against 384 foreign-born US citizens, with civil litigators in 39 regional offices assigned to file cases in coming weeks. A DOJ official characterized this as "the first wave" of a "White House initiative" to strip citizenship from naturalized Americans. Historically rare due to cost and manpower, denaturalization has been used to target political activists and immigrants on broad grounds including alleged "nexus to terrorism" or gang affiliation, with experts warning the criteria are overly broad.
• Justice Department assigns prosecutors to file denaturalization cases against 384 naturalized citizens — The Justice Department announced it is assigning civil litigators to file denaturalization cases against 384 naturalized citizens as part of an effort to pursue "the highest volume of denaturalization referrals in history." The cases will be distributed across dozens of U.S. attorney's offices nationwide. Denaturalization requires proving material fraud in the naturalization process before a federal judge.

Supporting reports

• US authorities revoke green card status and arrest relatives of Qassem Soleimani — US federal agents arrested Hamideh Soleimani Afshar (niece of late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani) and her daughter after Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked their lawful permanent resident status. Officials alleged the pair celebrated Iranian military strikes against US personnel and expressed support for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Both are now in ICE custody pending removal. The action occurred amid the Trump administration's broader effort to revoke immigration statuses of individuals deemed aligned with US adversaries.
• Rubio announces arrest of alleged Soleimani relatives, revokes green cards — Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that federal agents arrested two individuals he claimed were the niece and great-niece of assassinated Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Rubio revoked their green cards, and the pair were taken into ICE custody awaiting deportation proceedings. However, Soleimani's daughter publicly stated the two "have no connection whatsoever" to her father and called the State Department's claims false. Rubio later deleted the tweet announcing the arrest.

Supporting reports

• DHS memo authorizes ICE detention of legal refugees for "rescreening" — The Department of Homeland Security issued a memo authorizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to arrest and indefinitely detain legal refugees already admitted to the US who have not yet obtained permanent residence (green cards), subjecting them to intensive interviews and background checks while in custody. The policy reverses a 2010 Obama-era guidance and directly contradicts a federal judge's recent order blocking such arrests in Minnesota. The memo claims conditional admission and mandatory one-year review compel detention authority.

Supporting reports

• DOJ intervenes in lawsuit challenging LA school district's race-conscious resource allocation — The Trump administration's Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, filed to intervene in a lawsuit brought by the conservative 1776 Project Foundation against the Los Angeles Unified School District. The suit challenges LAUSD's decades-old practice of designating schools with 70%+ non-white enrollment as PHBAO schools and providing them additional resources including smaller class sizes and enhanced parent engagement. The DOJ's civil rights division argued the policy constitutes racial discrimination against white students and violates equal protection principles.
• Justice Department intervened in lawsuit challenging LAUSD racial classification program — The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division announced it sought intervention in a federal lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District, challenging the PHBAO (Predominately Hispanic, Black, Asian, and Other) Program. The program classifies students by race and neighborhood racial composition to determine school funding and magnet school admissions. The DOJ complaint alleges the program provides extra funding and admissions preferences to schools serving predominantly non-White populations, treating attendance at such schools as equivalent to attending an overcrowded school. The case was filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Supporting reports

• Arrest and detention of Patty O'Keefe by ICE agents in Minneapolis — Patty O'Keefe, a 36-year-old environmental nonprofit worker and volunteer ICE monitor, was arrested by three ICE agents while tracking an ICE convoy. One agent pepper-sprayed her vehicle and smashed the front windows; she was hauled out and arrested. O'Keefe was transported to an ICE facility near the airport, held for eight hours in a section designated for U.S. citizens, and heard detainees awaiting deportation. She was released without charge. During detention, an officer allegedly taunted her with a reference to Renee Good's death.

Supporting reports

• ICE warrantless detention and forced transport of US citizen ChongLy Thao in St Paul, Minnesota — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents broke down the door of ChongLy "Scott" Thao's home in St Paul without a warrant, dragged him into the street in sub-freezing conditions, and forcibly transported him for approximately two hours before returning him. Thao is a naturalized US citizen and Hmong American. Local Ramsey County authorities opened an investigation into the incident as a possible kidnapping, burglary, and false imprisonment. DHS claimed agents were executing a warrant targeting alleged sexual predators but acknowledged Thao refused fingerprinting and facial identification.
• ICE agents detain US citizen without warrant in Minnesota home, remove him in underwear in subfreezing weather — Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents forced entry into ChongLy "Scott" Thao's St Paul, Minnesota home without a warrant, pointed guns at his family, and detained him despite his US citizenship. Agents removed Thao from his home in only underwear and sandals in subfreezing conditions while his four-year-old grandson watched. After approximately one to two hours, agents realized Thao was a US citizen with no criminal record and returned him home without apology. DHS claimed the operation targeted two convicted sex offenders allegedly living at the residence; Thao's family disputes this account and states only family members reside there.
• Brooklyn Park police chief reported ICE civil rights violations and targeting of officers of color — Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, police chief Mark Bruley reported to media that police were receiving repeated complaints about civil rights violations by ICE agents. He recounted that ICE agents stopped an off-duty police officer of color, demanded her paperwork despite her being a U.S. citizen, held her at gunpoint, knocked her phone from her hand when she attempted to film, and only left when she identified herself as a police officer. Bruley stated that if this was happening to officers, he feared far worse was occurring to community members daily.
• ICE conducts warrantless search and detention of U.S. citizen Scott Thao in Minnesota — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents broke into the home of U.S. citizen ChongLy "Scott" Thao without a warrant on Sunday, held him at gunpoint, marched him outside in subfreezing weather wearing only sandals and underwear, detained him for an hour or two, and then returned him to his home. ICE subsequently falsely claimed that members of his family are on the registered sex offender list.

Supporting reports

• ICE agents conduct racial profiling stops of US citizens and legal residents across multiple states — Following the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, ICE and US Customs and Border Protection agents have conducted stops and surveillance of US citizens and lawful permanent residents in California, Nebraska, Florida, Minnesota, and other states, with multiple individuals reporting that the encounters were based on racial profiling. Incidents include stops in parks, traffic stops, and sustained surveillance. The administration deployed approximately 2,000 ICE officers and 800 CBP agents to Minneapolis, focused enforcement on Somali communities, and announced plans to end temporary protected status for Somalis. A September 2025 Supreme Court ruling permitted agents to consider race or ethnicity as a factor in enforcement decisions.
• Racial profiling stop of Joaquin and Gloria Espinoza by ICE agents in Minneapolis suburbs — On Monday, January 20, 2026, ICE agents stopped a vehicle driven by Joaquin with passenger Gloria Espinoza on a quiet street in Minneapolis suburbs. Both are U.S. citizens for more than 30 years. Espinoza reported that agents appeared to have no cause for the stop other than the color of their skin and that officers taunted them while conducting background checks. Civilian observers arrived in seven vehicles, honking horns and documenting the interaction on video. The agents eventually released the couple without arrest.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration ends legal protections for Somalis in Minnesota and escalates rhetoric against Somali Americans and Representative Ilhan Omar — The Trump administration ended legal protections for Somalis in Minnesota and publicly characterized the state as "a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity." Trump made inflammatory statements describing Somali Americans as coming "from hell," contributing "nothing," and should "go back to where they came from." Trump also called Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar "garbage" and said "her friends are garbage." These statements occur in the context of FBI investigations and immigration enforcement actions targeting Minnesota's Somali community, including ICE agents questioning constituents and Omar's own son.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration freezes asylum decisions and pauses immigration applications for nationals of 19 countries following Afghan shooting incident — Following the shooting of two national guard soldiers in Washington DC by an Afghan man, the Trump administration froze asylum decisions at USCIS, paused visa and immigration applications filed by Afghans, halted legal immigration cases for nationals of 19 countries on its travel ban, and directed re-investigation of cases granted legal status under Biden. The administration also reduced work permit validity periods for asylum-seekers and refugees. Afghan immigrants and advocates condemned the shooting but protested the collective punishment of hundreds of thousands of people for one individual's alleged actions.

Supporting reports

• Department of Justice eliminates disparate-impact liability from Title VI civil rights enforcement — The Department of Justice issued a final rule on December 9, 2025, eliminating disparate-impact liability from its Title VI regulations under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated the rule ensures equal treatment under law by removing requirements that federal funding recipients make decisions based on race. The rule shifts enforcement to require proof of intentional discrimination rather than liability based on statistical outcome disparities. The department characterized the prior 50-year disparate-impact framework as fostering discrimination and creating compliance burdens.
• DOJ moved to eliminate Civil Rights Act disparate impact provision — On December 9, the Justice Department moved to eliminate a key provision of the Civil Rights Act by reinterpreting regulations that allowed the use of statistical disparities as evidence of racial discrimination. The move would significantly weaken civil rights enforcement and protections against systemic discrimination.

Supporting reports

• Border Patrol agents approached workers at residential property in Charlotte — Two CBP agents walked into the front yard of homeowner Rheba Hamilton on Saturday morning during Operation Charlotte's Web. One agent attempted to speak to workers in Spanish who were putting up Christmas decorations. The workers did not respond and the agents left without making arrests, but the incident made residents realize that no location was safe from enforcement activity.
• Border Patrol conducted "Operation Charlotte's Web" ICE raids in Charlotte, North Carolina, arresting 81 people in five hours. — Border Patrol launched coordinated immigration enforcement operations in Charlotte on Saturday, November 15, resulting in 81 arrests within five hours. The raids included documented cases of excessive force, such as a U.S. citizen having his car window smashed and being thrown to the ground despite presenting citizenship documents. The enforcement action prompted widespread fear in the community, with churches closing doors, dental clinics reporting cancelled appointments, and local businesses shuttering. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, who previously led operations in Chicago (3,000+ arrests) and Los Angeles, directed the Charlotte operation.
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department stated it does not participate in federal immigration enforcement — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department emphasized that it is not involved in federal immigration enforcement and has no authority to enforce federal immigration laws. This statement clarified the department's non-participation in Operation Charlotte's Web.
• Operation Charlotte's Web arrested 81 people in five-hour immigration enforcement action — Federal Border Patrol agents launched "Operation Charlotte's Web" in Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday, November 15, arresting 81 people in approximately five hours. The operation, led by Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and announced by DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, targeted what officials claimed were "violent criminal illegal aliens" and cited 1,400 unexecuted immigration detainers. On the ground, agents conducted stops at businesses, churches, apartment complexes, and residential areas; smashed car windows; and detained U.S. citizens including naturalized citizen Willy Aceituno, who was released only after producing citizenship documents. Local law enforcement did not participate. Hundreds of residents protested Saturday afternoon in uptown Charlotte.
• Willy Aceituno detained despite presenting U.S. citizenship documents — Willy Aceituno, a 46-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, was stopped twice by Border Patrol agents on Saturday morning during Operation Charlotte's Web. During the second encounter, agents broke his car window, forced him from his vehicle, and threw him to the ground. When he stated he was an American citizen, agents detained him anyway and only released him after he produced citizenship documents. Aceituno reported agents questioned where he was born and expressed disbelief in his citizenship status.
• Federal immigration raids arrest 81 people in Charlotte, North Carolina — Federal Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted Operation Charlotte's Web over the weekend of November 15–16, 2025, arresting at least 81 people in Charlotte, North Carolina. Videos showed agents chasing and apprehending people outside businesses; a U.S. citizen was forcibly removed from his vehicle; a teenage grocery store worker was arrested. Business districts in predominantly Latino neighborhoods came to a standstill. Local officials and advocacy groups reported this was the largest single-day immigration arrest in state history and criticized the lack of communication and constitutional violations.
• Federal immigration sweep in Charlotte, North Carolina — Federal immigration officers, including Customs and Border Protection and ICE agents, conducted enforcement operations in Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday. Targets included a church where an arrest was made while parishioners performed yard work, workers hanging Christmas lights, and individuals stopped while driving. Local reports indicate agents made stops without clear identification or explanation, and at least one U.S. citizen was forcibly removed from his vehicle. Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated the surge was to "ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed."
• Top Border Patrol official and agents planned to leave Chicago area — CBS News reported on November 10 that top US Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino and some of his agents could soon leave the Chicago area after the Trump administration made plans for their departure.
• Federal immigration sweep in Charlotte, North Carolina detains 130+ people — The Trump administration deployed border patrol agents to Charlotte, North Carolina over the weekend in an operation titled "Charlotte's Web," resulting in the detention of at least 130 people. Federal agents conducted aggressive arrests near churches, apartment complexes, and stores, with reports of masked, heavily armed agents in unmarked vehicles. Governor Josh Stein and Mayor Vi Lyles condemned the operation, citing racial profiling, targeting of U.S. citizens, and fear-mongering despite declining crime rates in the city. The Department of Homeland Security claimed those arrested had criminal records, though it provided no conviction details.
• ICE and CBP conduct mass immigration enforcement sweep in Charlotte, North Carolina — US Customs and Border Protection agents, led by Gregory Bovino, conducted a large-scale immigration enforcement operation in Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday, resulting in 81 arrests. The operation, dubbed "Operation Charlotte's Web," targeted the Democratic-led city of 950,000 despite declining crime rates and fierce objections from local leaders. Reports indicate agents conducted sweeps near churches, apartment complexes, and other community spaces, causing widespread fear and prompting business closures and medical appointment cancellations among immigrant communities.
• Border Patrol Deployment in Charlotte — Border Patrol agents, led by Gregory Bovino, have been deployed to Charlotte, North Carolina, following their operations in Chicago. This move has raised concerns about racial profiling and the lack of due process, as reports indicate that at least one American citizen was racially profiled and forcibly removed from his vehicle. The presence of Border Patrol in Charlotte, a city with a significant immigrant population, has led to fears of increased racial profiling and deportations without due process. Protests and community actions are being organized in response to these developments.
• ICE and Border Patrol Deployment in North Carolina — The federal administration has deployed ICE and Border Patrol agents to the Raleigh/Durham area in North Carolina, causing significant disruption and fear among immigrant communities. This deployment is described as a tactic to destabilize communities and intimidate families. In response, local organizations such as SiembraNC and Southern Vision Alliance are mobilizing to provide support and protection for affected individuals. Community members are encouraged to report ICE sightings and participate in organized actions to safeguard vulnerable populations.
• CBP agents raid OurBridge after-school program in Charlotte — On Monday, November 18, 2025, Customs and Border Protection agents attempted to raid OurBridge, an after-school program serving children from multiple countries including Tanzania. The program's director stated the raid's goal was to "instill fear" and called it "unnecessary, unacceptable and another direct attack on the safety of our community." OurBridge halted services indefinitely and staff ceased media engagement.
• US Border Patrol conducts mass immigration raids in Charlotte, North Carolina — US Customs and Border Protection, led by regional chief Greg Bovino, conducted a series of immigration raids in Charlotte, North Carolina, resulting in over 100 arrests. The operation, called "Operation Charlotte's Web," involved agents conducting enforcement actions near churches, apartment complexes, and stores. Governor Josh Stein criticized the crackdown as "stoking fear." Legal experts note that while border patrol has authority to operate up to 100 miles from international boundaries (which includes Charlotte via the Atlantic coastline), operations outside that zone must comply with standard constitutional protections requiring reasonable suspicion or probable cause.
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district experiences mass absenteeism due to ICE enforcement fear — On Monday, November 18, 2025, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district (141,000+ students, ~30% Latino) recorded over 30,000 absences, compared to the normal 9,000–10,000. Teachers reported Hispanic students and families with undocumented members refusing to attend school out of fear of ICE enforcement. One teacher noted half her special-needs class was absent, with three Hispanic students citing fear. Parents kept children home, including a blind and autistic daughter, until they felt safe.
• ICE agents raid Latino church in Charlotte during weekend enforcement — During the weekend of November 19–20, 2025, immigration agents raided a Latino church in Charlotte, making an arrest in front of the congregation. The raid caused attendees to scatter into the woods. The incident led to cancellation of a scheduled entrepreneurship event at Camino church on Thursday, November 20, as organizers prioritized community safety.
• ICE and CBP surge enforcement operations in Charlotte, North Carolina, detaining citizens and noncitizens indiscriminately — Federal immigration agents from ICE and Customs and Border Protection launched "Operation Charlotte's Web" on November 19, 2025, surging enforcement across Charlotte and later Raleigh-Durham. The operation resulted in over 250 arrests statewide. Agents conducted warrantless stops, detained U.S. citizens including Puerto Rican-born Gerardo Ortiz twice, and raided an after-school program (OurBridge) serving children. The enforcement created widespread fear, causing 30,000+ school absences, business closures on immigrant-heavy Central Avenue, and community members to avoid work and public spaces.
• U.S. citizen Gerardo Ortiz detained twice by federal agents in Charlotte — Gerardo Ortiz, a Puerto Rican-born U.S. citizen, was detained twice by federal immigration agents on November 19 and 20, 2025, while protesting in Charlotte. Agents emerged from vans, restrained him with hands behind his back, and transported him 20 blocks away to a parking lot before releasing him. Ortiz reported severe emotional distress and stated he felt he had lost his liberty. He had no prior arrest history.

Supporting reports

• ICE detention of immigrants without criminal records surpasses those with records — According to government data released by ICE on September 26, 2025, 16,523 people with no criminal history are now in immigration detention, exceeding the 15,725 with criminal records and 13,767 with pending charges. This marks the first time under the second Trump administration that non-criminal immigrants constitute the largest group in ICE custody. The Trump administration has directed ICE to arrest approximately 3,000 people per day as part of its mass deportation campaign, resulting in increased "collateral arrests" of people with no criminal history.

Supporting reports

• UK tourist Karen Newton detained by ICE for six weeks despite holding valid visa — Karen Newton, a 65-year-old British retiree with a valid B2 tourist visa, was detained by ICE for 42 days after being turned back at the US-Canada border in late September 2025. She was shackled, transported to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington, and held in a cell where she slept on the floor for a month. ICE claimed she was "guilty by association" with her husband, whose visa had expired. She was eventually released on 6 November 2025 after signing a self-removal agreement. Guards told her that ICE officers receive bonuses for each person detained.
• British tourist Karen Newton detained for six weeks despite valid visa — Karen Newton, a 65-year-old British citizen with a valid tourist visa, was detained by US immigration authorities for six weeks after being turned back at the US-Canada border in late September 2025. She and her husband were shackled at wrists, waist, and ankles, held in cells without beds, and transported 12 hours to an ICE detention facility. Upon release, her car battery was dead, houseplants were dead, bills unpaid, credit score damaged, and luggage confiscated and never returned. Another British tourist, Rebecca Burke, was detained for 19 days and warned others not to visit the US under Trump.

Supporting reports

• Class-action lawsuit filed against Trump administration for arrests at immigration courts — Twelve immigrants and advocacy groups filed a class-action lawsuit in U.S. District Court (D.C.) on July 16, 2025, alleging that the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security coordinated to arrest and deport people attending immigration hearings. The plaintiffs claim the administration stripped due-process rights under immigration law and the Fifth Amendment, placing detainees in expedited removal without hearings. The suit challenges ICE and immigration court guidance as arbitrary and capricious, seeking to vacate those directives.
• Immigrants and advocates sue DHS over courthouse arrests — A group of immigrants and legal advocates sued the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department, and ICE as part of a class-action lawsuit arguing that the arrests of thousands of people at courthouses violate immigration law and the Constitution. The lawsuit challenges the practice of arresting immigrants at courthouses where they appear for legal proceedings.
• Federal immigration enforcement conducts mass courthouse detentions at Manhattan federal building — On 16 July 2025, federal immigration agents conducted multiple detentions at the Jacob K Javits federal building in Manhattan, apprehending individuals both during and immediately after immigration hearings. The Guardian documented detentions of at least five people, including a father separated from his family and individuals granted follow-up hearings. Agents held detainees in stairwells and the building's 10th floor. The practice reflects the Trump administration's stated goal of arresting 3,000 people daily and has prompted a class-action lawsuit challenging courthouse arrest tactics.

Supporting reports

• Federal immigration enforcement conducts mass courthouse detentions at Manhattan federal building — On 16 July 2025, federal immigration agents conducted multiple detentions at the Jacob K Javits federal building in Manhattan, apprehending individuals both during and immediately after immigration hearings. The Guardian documented detentions of at least five people, including a father separated from his family and individuals granted follow-up hearings. Agents held detainees in stairwells and the building's 10th floor. The practice reflects the Trump administration's stated goal of arresting 3,000 people daily and has prompted a class-action lawsuit challenging courthouse arrest tactics.

Supporting reports

• Trump called for investigation into former Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas — At a press conference in Ochopee, Florida, Trump called for an investigation into Alejandro Mayorkas, who served as Homeland Security Secretary under President Joe Biden. The call for investigation occurred in the context of Trump's broader statements about arresting and deporting individuals.
• Trump calls for investigation into political opponents — President Trump called for an investigation into Alejandro Mayorkas, the Homeland Security Secretary, and threatened to arrest New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani if he does not cooperate with ICE. Trump made unfounded claims about Mamdani's citizenship status, asserting he is a communist and suggesting he is in the U.S. illegally.

Supporting reports

• Trump questioned Zohran Mamdani's immigration status and threatened arrest — Trump questioned the immigration status of Zohran Mamdani, claiming that a "lot of people are saying he's here illegally," despite Mamdani becoming a US citizen in 2018. Trump said his administration is "going to look at everything," and stated that Mamdani would be arrested if he followed through on campaign promises to defy ICE officials. Mamdani responded that Trump's comments represent "an attack on our democracy" and an attempt to intimidate New Yorkers who speak up.
• Trump called for investigation into former Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas — At a press conference in Ochopee, Florida, Trump called for an investigation into Alejandro Mayorkas, who served as Homeland Security Secretary under President Joe Biden. The call for investigation occurred in the context of Trump's broader statements about arresting and deporting individuals.
• Trump threatened arrest of Democratic NYC mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani — Trump threatened to arrest Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, if he does not work with ICE agents to arrest migrants. Trump falsely claimed Mamdani is a communist and stated that "a lot of people are saying he's here illegally," despite Mamdani being a naturalized U.S. citizen. Trump also asserted that local and state governments have no legal obligation to work with federal immigration enforcement, contradicting established law.
• Trump amplifies accusations against naturalized NYC mayoral candidate and signals investigation — President Trump amplified Rep. Andy Ogles' accusations against Zohran Mamdani, a naturalized U.S. citizen who won New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, claiming "a lot of people are saying he's here illegally" and stating "We're going to look at everything." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier tacitly approved investigating Mamdani based on Ogles' unverified claims. Trump also stated his administration could deport citizens, which would violate the Constitution and federal law.
• Trump posts attack on naturalized NYC mayoral candidate on Truth Social — President Trump posted on Truth Social attacking Zohran Mamdani, the naturalized U.S. citizen who won New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, calling him a "Communist Lunatic" and stating "I hold all the levers, and have all the cards" in reference to his power to act against Mamdani. The post signals Trump's intent to use executive power to prevent Mamdani from winning office.

Supporting reports

• ICE agents arrest US citizen Andrea Velez in downtown Los Angeles without identifying themselves — On June 24, 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in plainclothes and gaiter masks forcibly detained Andrea Velez, a 32-year-old US citizen, during a street operation in downtown Los Angeles. Velez was dragged into an unmarked SUV without being told why. The Department of Justice subsequently charged her with assaulting a federal officer, a felony carrying up to 20 years imprisonment. Sixteen days later, prosecutors dismissed the charges after Velez's attorney requested body-worn footage and witness statements that the government could not produce. Video evidence showed Velez did not resist and appeared to be standing still when taken.
• US citizen arrested during ICE raid in Los Angeles — Andrea Velez, a 32-year-old US citizen and Cal Poly Pomona graduate, was arrested by ICE agents during an immigration raid in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, 24 June 2025. Witnesses reported agents did not request identification and used force, lifting her off the ground. Her family, including her mother (a resident alien) and sister, were present and screamed for help. Authorities did not inform the family of her whereabouts for over a day. DHS claimed she assaulted an ICE officer; no charges have been formally disclosed. The incident reflects a pattern of US citizens being swept up in the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations.
• Andrea Velez, U.S. citizen, detained by ICE during immigration raid and charged with felony obstruction — On June 24, 2025, Andrea Velez, a U.S. citizen, was swept up in an immigration raid in Los Angeles while on her way to work. ICE officers knocked her to the ground, and despite her declaring her citizenship, detained and led her to a car. Believing she was being kidnapped, Velez attempted to run to nearby police officers before ICE agents caught her. She spent two nights in jail and was charged with a felony for obstructing an officer, a charge the Justice Department dropped two weeks later.
• Department of Justice charges Andrea Velez with felony assault on federal officer — Following her June 24 arrest, the DOJ charged Andrea Velez, a 4-foot-11-inch US citizen, with assaulting a federal officer based on an affidavit claiming she extended her arm into an officer's path. Velez denied the allegation, stating she never touched anyone. The charge carried a potential 20-year sentence. Prosecutors later moved to dismiss the charges sixteen days after her arrest when Velez's attorney requested body-worn footage and witness statements that the government could not produce.

Supporting reports

• US citizen arrested during ICE raid in Los Angeles — Andrea Velez, a 32-year-old US citizen and Cal Poly Pomona graduate, was arrested by ICE agents during an immigration raid in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, 24 June 2025. Witnesses reported agents did not request identification and used force, lifting her off the ground. Her family, including her mother (a resident alien) and sister, were present and screamed for help. Authorities did not inform the family of her whereabouts for over a day. DHS claimed she assaulted an ICE officer; no charges have been formally disclosed. The incident reflects a pattern of US citizens being swept up in the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations.

Supporting reports

• Appeal filed — American Association of University Professors v. United States Department of Justice (S.D.N.Y.) 1:25-cv-02429 — Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil dismissed the case. That day, the Plaintiffs appealed to the Second Circuit.
• Appeal filed — Boyle v. Trump (D. Md.) 8:25-cv-01628 — Defendants appealed Judge Maddox's summary judgment order to the Fourth Circuit.
• Case update — American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO v. Goldstein (S.D.N.Y.) 1:25-cv-03072 — Plaintiffs filed their second amended complaint .
• Case update — Carter v. Department of Education (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00744 — The court stayed the case pending the status of appeals in State of New York v. McMahon , Civil Action No. 25-10601 (D. Mass.) and Somerville Public Schools v. Trump , Civil Action No. 25-10677 (D. Mass.).
• Case update — City of Chicago v. United States Department of Homeland Security (N.D. Ill.) 1:25-cv-05462 — Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint , adding Boston, Denver, San Francisco, and Seattle as plaintiffs. The amended filing described each city's reliance on the Securing the Cities program and the harms from DHS's freeze on 2025 reimbursements and failure to release approved 2024 funds, shifted emphasis from primarily APA claims to a stronger Appropriations Clause theory challenging DHS's withholding of congressionally allocated funds, and stressed the need to restore funding before major events requiring heightened security, including political conventions and national holidays.
• Case update — City of New York v. Trump et al. (S.D.N.Y.) 1:25-cv-01510 — Plaintiff filed their second amended complaint (redline here ).
• Case update — J.G.G. v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00766 — Plaintiffs/Appellees filed their opposition in the D.C. Circuit to the Defendants'/Appellants' emergency motion seeking a stay of Judge Boasberg's June 4 order pending appeal.
• Case update — Northern Alaska Environmental Center v. Trump (D. Alaska) 3:25-cv-00038 — Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint , which added the Conservation Law Foundation as a plaintiff.
• Motion granted — Democracy Forward Foundation v. Department of Education (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00940 — DOE answered Plaintiff's complaint, arguing that Plaintiff failed to state a claim for which relief can be granted, that the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction to grant relief authorized under FOIA, and that Plaintiff is not entitled to compel the release of records properly withheld under FOIA exclusions or exemptions, among other defenses.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Schiff v. U.S. Office of Personnel Management (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-10595 — Defendants filed a motion to dismiss , arguing that Plaintiffs' claims are moot in light of Defendants' compliance with the preliminary injunction order issued on May 23.
• House Judiciary Report on Trump Pardons — Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee released a report estimating that Trump's pardons have cost taxpayers over $1.3 billion in fines and restitution. The report highlights the financial impact of presidential pardons.
• R Kelly's Lawyers File Court Documents Alleging Overdose in Prison — Lawyers for R Kelly have filed new court documents alleging that the singer, who is serving a prison sentence for sex trafficking, was rushed to the hospital after overdosing on medication provided by prison staff. The filing claims that Kelly was placed in solitary confinement on June 10 and given medication with instructions to take it, leading to an overdose on June 13. The documents also allege a plot by Bureau of Prisons officials to have Kelly killed by another inmate, prompting a request for his release to home detention, which federal prosecutors have opposed.
• Case update — Project on Government Oversight, Inc. v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00527 — Defendants filed an unopposed motion before Judge Boasberg seeking clarification or, alternatively, a stay of further proceedings. They argued that under 28 U.S.C. § 2243, no responsive pleading (return) is due in habeas proceedings until the court issues a writ or show-cause order, and that the preliminary-injunction briefing had already served that function. In the alternative, they requested that any requirement to file a return or dispositive motion be stayed until after the D.C. Circuit resolves the appeal of the June 4 order.
• Motion granted — Northern Alaska Environmental Center v. Trump (D. Alaska) 3:25-cv-00038 — Defendants moved to dismiss the complaint or stay proceedings in the alternative.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Harris County Texas v. Robert F Kennedy Jr (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01275 — The court granted State of Alaska's motion to intervene . Judge Sharon Gleason ordered that the State of Alaska be admitted into the case as an intervenor-defendant.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Project on Government Oversight, Inc. v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00527 — Judge Christopher Cooper issued a memorandum opinion that granted in part and denied in part Plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction. Judge Cooper granted relief to some of the grants held by four local-government plaintiffs (Harris County, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Davidson County and Nashville, Tennessee; and Kansas City, Missouri) and decided against granting relief to all terminated grants nationwide. Defendants are enjoined from enforcing or otherwise giving effect to the March 2025 terminations of grants issued directly or indirectly to these four plaintiffs under the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020, the CARES Act, and the CRRSAA.
• Temporary restraining order ruling — Association of American Universities v. Department of Defense (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-11740 — Judge James E. Boasberg denied Plaintiff's preliminary injunction motion. In the supporting memorandum , Judge Boasberg noted Plaintiff failed to show a likelihood of irreparable harm absent a preliminary injunction.
• Temporary restraining order ruling — National Job Corps Association v. Department of Labor (S.D.N.Y.) 1:25-cv-04641 — The Court granted Plaintiffs' motion for a temporary restraining order, prohibiting the DOD from enforcing the Rate Cap Policy.
• Case update — Association for Education Finance and Policy Inc. v. McMahon (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00999 — Judge Carter extended the temporary restraining order through June 25.
• Case update — CREW v. DOGE (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00511 — Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint . In this amended complaint, plaintiffs removed their ultra vires and Impoundment Act claims. Plaintiffs also added counts specifying the IES terminations and their associated alleged APA violation.
• Case update — Democracy Forward Foundation v. U.S. Department of the Treasury (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00684 — CREW filed a motion for summary disposition with the D.C. Circuit following the Supreme Court's Jun. 6 order.
• Complaint filed — EA T-B v. Bostock — Democracy Forward and the Department of the Treasury filed a joint status report to note the identification of 5,807 potentially responsive documents and the parties' efforts to further narrow Plaintiff's FOIA request to alleviate processing burdens and allow for a more expeditious processing of documents.
• Motion denied — Democracy Forward Foundation v. U.S. Department of Justice (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01535 — Defendants/Appellants filed their reply in support of their emergency motion in the D.C. Circuit to stay Judge Boasberg's June 4 order pending appeal.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — San Francisco Unified School District v. AmeriCorps, a.k.a. the Corporation for National and Community Service (N.D. Cal.) 3:25 — A complaint was filed in the Western District of Washington under the case caption EA T-B v. Bostock, docket number 2:25-cv-01192. The case involves legal challenges related to actions taken by the Trump administration. Further details about the case are forthcoming.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — W.J.C.C. v. Trump (W.D. Pa.) 3:25-cv-00153 — DOJ, DHS, and State Department (Agency Defendants) answered Plaintiff's complaint. The Agency Defendants admitted they received the FOIA requests but denied improperly withholding records from Plaintiff under FOIA.
• Summary judgment ruling — Grundmann v. Trump et al . (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00425 — The court granted Plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction, thereby enjoining Defendants from imposing and enforcing new conditions on Plaintiffs' AmeriCorps grants during the pendency of the lawsuit.
• Temporary restraining order ruling — Dvortsin as Next Friend of Hayam El Gamal et al., Petitioner, v. Noem (W.D. Tex.) 5:25-cv-00664 — Judge Stephanie Haines restated her holding in A.S.R. v. Trump , No. 3:25-cv-00113, that the presidential proclamation is a valid exercise of the AEA. Judge Haines, however, granted a preliminary injunction in favor of W.J.C.C., rejecting the government's claim that it could apply shortened notice akin to expedited removal procedures. The court held that the petitioner was entitled to: “(1) twenty-one (21) days' notice and an "opportunity to be heard," (2) notice that clearly articulates the fact that he is subject to removal under the Proclamation and the AEA, (3) notice in English and Spanish, the language of the one sought to be expelled, and if needed, Spanish-to-English interpreters shall be provided for any necessary hearings, and (4) notice of all of the foregoing to his counsel.” The court denied the petitioner's request for a preliminary injunction that would have barred the government from transferring him out of the district.
• Federal Appeals Court Rejects DOJ Representation for Trump — The D.C. Circuit issued an administrative stay of Judge Sparkle's March 12 order granting Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment .
• Federal Judge Blocks Education Department Firings — Judge Orlando Garcia granted a motion to extend the previous temporary restraining order blocking the removal of the family from the district or the United States.
• Federal Judge Blocks EPA Grant Cancellations — A federal appeals court rejected President Trump's request to have Justice Department lawyers represent him in his appeal of E. Jean Carroll's defamation case. The decision maintains the separation between personal and official legal matters.
• Case update — ACLU v. United States Social Security Administration (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01217 — A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from executing mass firings at the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights. The decision prevents potential disruptions to civil rights enforcement.
• Stay pending appeal decided — Newsom v. Trump (N.D. Cal.) 3:25-cv-04870 — A federal judge blocked the EPA's cancellation of $600 million in environmental justice grants issued during the Biden administration. The ruling protects funding for underserved communities.
• Federal Judge Blocks Transportation Grant Conditions — Defendant Agencies answered Plaintiff's complaint. These agencies admitted that they failed to respond to Plaintiff's FOIA request, but provided several defenses to Plaintiff's action, including alleging Plaintiff is not entitled to compel the production of records under FOIA, the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over Plaintiff's requests, and that they did not improperly withhold the records Plaintiff requested under FOIA.
• Appeal filed — Mahmoud Khalil v. William P. Joyce et al. (D.N.J.) 2:25-cv-01963 — The Ninth Circuit granted the federal government a stay pending appeal .
• Motion denied — Darwin Antonio Arevalo Millan v. Trump (C.D. Cal.) 5:25-cv-01207 — A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from tying federal transportation grant funding to immigration enforcement cooperation. The ruling protects states' rights to manage their own policies.
• Motion granted — J.G.G. v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00766 — Judge Farbiarz ordered Mahmoud Khalil, who is currently detained by federal immigration authorities in Louisiana, be released from custody. On that same day, the government appealed Judge Farbiarz's June 11 order granting a preliminary injunction to the Third Circuit. Note: Mahmoud Khalil submitted a notice of claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act, seeking $20 million in damages from the administration for his detention. The notice alleges that Khalil's arrest and prolonged confinement were the result of discriminatory intent by Secretary Rubio, and that his treatment-including prolonged solitary confinement and denial of medical care-constituted multiple tortious acts by federal officers.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — American Federation of Government Employees, et al. v. Office of Personnel Management et al (S.D.N.Y.) 1:25-cv-01237 — Judge Holcomb denied petitioners' ex parte application for a writ of habeas corpus, noting petitioner's detention remains permissible under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) because of the government's intention to appeal the grant of relief in petitioner's removal proceedings (since petitioners can remain in custody pending such appeals).
• Preliminary injunction ruling — American Foreign Service Association v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01030 — Judge Boasberg granted the Defendants unopposed motion for clarification, confirming that the Defendants does not need to take further action in the district court until the D.C. Circuit issues its mandate in the appeal of his June 4 order.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — American Oversight v. Hegseth (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00883 — In connection with the June 9 preliminary injunction order, Judge Cote ordered OPM to file a report within two weeks describing the procedures put in place since March 6, to ensure adherence to the requirements of the Privacy Act with respect to new grant of access permissions by OPM to records containing Plaintiffs' personally identifiable information (PII). Judge Cote also ordered OPM to file a report within four weeks concerning OPM's grant of access permissions to any records containing Plaintiffs' PII made to DOGE personnel.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Open Technology Fund v. Kari Lake (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00840 — The D.C. Circuit en banc stayed the preliminary injunction order pending appeal.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — President and Fellows of Harvard College v. Department of Homeland Security (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-11472 — Judge Boasberg granted in part and denied in part the Plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction, granting a narrower relief by requiring that Defendants perform their mandatory notification and referral obligations, as explained in its accompanying memorandum opinion .
• Stay motion decided — State of New York v. United States Department of Education (S.D.N.Y.) 1:25-cv-02990 — Judge Royce Lamberth granted Plaintiff's preliminary injunction motion, thereby enjoining Defendants from withholding congressionally appropriated funds under the grant agreement for Fiscal Year 2024 between USAGM and OTF.
• Summary judgment ruling — Association of American Universities v. National Science Foundation (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-11231 — Judge Burroughs issued a preliminary injunction barring that administration from banning Harvard from participating in the State Department's Student and Visitor Exchange Program.
• Federal Judge Blocks Harvard Student Ban — The Second Circuit denied Defendants' motion to stay the district court's order, finding DOE's actions likely arbitrary and capricious under the APA-without any particularized assessment and insufficiently attentive to reliance interests-and concluding that a stay would substantially injure the plaintiff States.
• Federal Judge Orders Release of Mahmoud Khalil — The court granted Plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment. Implementation of the 15% Indirect Cost Rate is vacated and declared invalid, arbitrary and capricious, and contrary to law. The court further ordered that within 72 hours of entry of this order, Defendants provide written notice of the order to all funding recipients affected by the 15% Indirect Cost Rate.
• — A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from prohibiting Harvard University from admitting international students. The ruling prevents the implementation of a plan to remove the school from the Student and Visitor Exchange Program.
• — A federal judge ordered the release of Mahmoud Khalil from ICE detention on bail, citing concerns that his detention was used as punishment for his activism. Khalil is a Palestinian green card holder involved in student protests.

Supporting reports

• Trump executive order eliminates disparate-impact liability from federal civil rights enforcement — On April 24, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to "deprioritize enforcement" of civil rights laws where policies have discriminatory effects, even without discriminatory intent. The order instructs the attorney general to begin repealing or amending regulations implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and requires all federal agencies to review pending cases and consent decrees based on disparate-impact theory within 90 days. Civil rights advocates argue the order guts decades of civil rights protections.
• Trump executive order eliminates disparate-impact liability in civil rights enforcement — On April 24, 2025, Donald Trump signed an executive order that eliminates "disparate-impact liability" from federal civil rights enforcement, directing federal agencies to deprioritize enforcement of laws that have discriminatory effects. This order has drawn significant criticism from civil rights advocates who argue it undermines protections against discrimination that have been in place for decades. The order also instructs the attorney general to begin repealing or amending related regulations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

Supporting reports

• Trump proclaims Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust, 2025 — President Trump issued Proclamation 10922 on April 23, 2025, designating April 20–27, 2025, as Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust. The proclamation honors the six million Jewish victims and other groups persecuted by Nazi Germany, commemorates the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation, and acknowledges recent anti-Semitic incidents in the United States. The proclamation directs federal action against anti-Semitic harassment in schools and colleges, including removal of resident aliens who violate laws, and pledges investigation and punishment of anti-Semitic discrimination in universities.
• Trump proclaims National Park Week and announces National Garden of American Heroes monument — President Trump issued Proclamation 10921 designating April 19–27, 2025, as National Park Week. The proclamation celebrates national parks as sources of inspiration and education, references the restoration of Mount McKinley's name, and announces creation of a National Garden of American Heroes monument honoring 250 American patriots. The proclamation ties park preservation to patriotic education and the White House Task Force on Celebrating America's 250th Birthday.
• Trump proclaims National Volunteer Week, April 20–26, 2025 — President Donald J. Trump issued Proclamation 10923 designating April 20–26, 2025, as National Volunteer Week. The proclamation honors Americans who volunteer their time and talents in service to communities and the nation, celebrating volunteerism as central to American life. It calls upon all Americans to observe the week by volunteering in service projects and pledging to make service part of their daily lives. The proclamation was signed April 23, 2025, and published in the Federal Register on April 28, 2025.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14277 establishing White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education and directing federal agencies to develop K-12 AI curricula, teacher training, apprenticeships, and a Presidential AI Challenge. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14277 on April 23, 2025, establishing a White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education chaired by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. The order directs federal agencies to develop public-private partnerships for K-12 AI literacy resources, issue guidance on using federal education grants for AI instruction, create teacher professional development programs, expand AI-related registered apprenticeships, and establish a Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge to highlight student and educator achievements. Implementation deadlines range from 90 to 120 days.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14278 directing comprehensive review and expansion of federal workforce development programs and registered apprenticeships. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14278 on April 23, 2025, directing the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce, and Education to review all federal workforce development programs within 90 days and submit a report identifying ineffective programs, consolidation opportunities, and strategies to align training with reindustrialization needs. The order also directs submission of a plan within 120 days to expand Registered Apprenticeships to reach 1 million new active apprentices and improve transparency on program performance outcomes including earnings and employment data.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14280 rescinding equity-based school discipline guidance and directing Education Department to issue new discipline guidance within 30 days. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14280 on April 23, 2025, directing the Secretary of Education to issue new guidance to schools within 30 days regarding school discipline and Title VI compliance, explicitly rejecting what the order characterizes as "discriminatory equity ideology" in discipline policies. The order rescinded 2023 guidance from the prior administration that encouraged schools to analyze racial disparities in discipline data. It also directs the Secretary of Defense to revise military-family school discipline codes within 60 days and requires a comprehensive 120-day report on discipline-related Title VI investigations and non-profit organizations promoting equity-based approaches.
• Trump signs Executive Order 14281 eliminating disparate-impact liability in federal civil rights enforcement — President Trump signed Executive Order 14281 on April 23, 2025, directing federal agencies to eliminate use of disparate-impact liability across all civil rights enforcement contexts. The order revokes prior presidential approvals of Department of Justice Title VI regulations, instructs agencies to deprioritize enforcement of statutes containing disparate-impact standards, and requires the Attorney General and other agency heads to review and modify pending investigations, consent judgments, and regulations within 30–90 days to align with the new policy of merit-based, colorblind administration.
• Trump signs Executive Order 14283 establishing White House Initiative on HBCUs — President Trump signed Executive Order 14283 on April 23, 2025, establishing a White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) housed in the Executive Office of the President and led by a presidentially designated Executive Director. The Initiative will coordinate with federal agencies, private sector, and philanthropic organizations to strengthen HBCU institutional capacity, infrastructure, and student outcomes. The order revokes Executive Order 14041 from September 2021 and directs the EPA to terminate the HBCUs and Minority Serving Institutions Advisory Council within 14 days.
• Trump signs executive order on foreign funding disclosure at American universities — President Trump signed Executive Order 14282 directing the Secretary of Education to robustly enforce Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, requiring universities to disclose foreign funding sources and purposes. The order mandates the Department of Education reverse prior administration actions that permitted secrecy regarding foreign funds, require more detailed disclosure, increase public access to foreign funding information, and hold institutions accountable for non-compliance. Federal funding eligibility is made contingent on certification of compliance with foreign funding disclosure requirements.
• Trump signs executive order reforming higher education accreditation standards — President Trump signed Executive Order 14279 directing the Secretary of Education to reform accreditation standards for colleges and universities, specifically targeting "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI) requirements in accreditation. The order instructs the Secretary and Attorney General to investigate and terminate unlawful discrimination by law schools, medical schools, and graduate medical education programs, and to assess suspending or terminating accreditor status. It mandates new accreditation principles focused on student outcomes, intellectual diversity, and high-value education, while reducing barriers to institutional innovation and streamlining accreditor recognition processes.
• Trump signed executive orders targeting universities on diversity and foreign gifts — On April 23, 2025, Trump signed executive orders targeting universities, addressing foreign gifts and directing federal enforcement of disclosure laws on large donations and college accreditation. Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated the administration would look at "those who have real merit" and examine universities not enforcing merit standards. The orders continue Trump's crackdown on diversity and inclusion efforts in higher education.
• Trump signs executive orders targeting university diversity, accreditation, and foreign gifts — On Wednesday, President Trump signed multiple executive orders directing federal enforcement of foreign gift disclosure laws at universities, empowering the education secretary to hold accreditors accountable through denial or termination of recognition, and investigating alleged "unlawful discrimination" in higher education. The orders frame diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) standards as violations of federal civil rights law. Trump also signed a separate order establishing a White House initiative on historically Black colleges and universities to promote affordability and retention. The administration has simultaneously cut billions in university funding and detained international students in retaliation for activism.
• Trump issued executive order establishing White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education — President Trump signed an executive order on April 23, 2025, establishing a White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education to promote AI literacy among American youth. The order directs federal agencies to develop public-private partnerships for K-12 AI resources, enhance teacher training in AI, establish a Presidential AI Challenge, and expand registered apprenticeships in AI-related occupations. Implementation timelines range from 90 to 120 days for various agency actions.
• Trump issued executive order on skilled trade workforce development — President Trump issued an executive order on April 23, 2025, directing the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce, and Education to review federal workforce development programs within 90 days and submit a comprehensive strategy to align training with reindustrialization needs. The order also mandates a plan within 120 days to expand Registered Apprenticeships to reach 1 million new active apprentices, improve transparency on program outcomes, and identify alternative credentials to four-year degrees aligned with employer skill demands.
• Trump issues executive order establishing White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities — President Trump signed an executive order on April 23, 2025, establishing a White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), housed in the Executive Office of the President and led by a designated Executive Director. The order directs the Initiative to work with federal agencies, private-sector employers, foundations, and educational associations to increase HBCU capacity, strengthen institutional planning and fiscal stability, upgrade infrastructure, and provide professional development opportunities in technology, healthcare, manufacturing, and finance. The order revokes Executive Order 14041 from September 2021 and directs the EPA to terminate the HBCUs and Minority Serving Institutions Advisory Council within 14 days.
• Trump issues executive order reforming higher education accreditation standards and investigating DEI requirements — President Trump issued an executive order on April 23, 2025, directing the Secretary of Education to reform accreditation standards for higher education institutions and hold accreditors accountable for what the order characterizes as unlawful discrimination through diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) requirements. The order instructs the Attorney General and Secretary of Education to investigate and take action against law schools, medical schools, and graduate medical education programs that enforce DEI-based accreditation standards, and authorizes suspension or termination of accreditor recognition. The order also mandates new accreditation principles focused on student outcomes and institutional quality without reference to race, ethnicity, or sex.
• Trump issues executive order requiring transparency on foreign funding to American universities — President Donald Trump issued an executive order on April 23, 2025, directing the Secretary of Education to enforce Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, which requires institutions to disclose foreign funding sources. The order mandates robust enforcement, reversal of prior administration actions that permitted secrecy, more detailed disclosure requirements, public access to foreign funding information, and accountability measures including audits and potential withholding of federal grants for non-compliance. Trump cited a prior study showing universities failed to disclose over half of reportable foreign gifts from 2010–2016.
• Trump issues executive order rescinding equity-based school discipline guidance and directing new federal guidance on race-neutral discipline policies. — President Trump signed an executive order on April 23, 2025, directing the Department of Education and Department of Justice to issue new guidance to schools within 30 days regarding school discipline and Title VI civil rights protections. The order characterizes prior 2014 and 2023 federal guidance on racial disparities in student discipline as "discriminatory equity ideology" and directs agencies to prevent schools from using race-conscious discipline policies. It requires a 120-day report assessing discipline-related Title VI investigations since 2009 and model discipline policies aligned with "American values and traditional virtues."
• Trump issues executive order restricting disparate-impact liability in federal civil rights enforcement — President Trump signed "Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy" on April 23, 2025, directing federal agencies to deprioritize enforcement of disparate-impact liability under civil rights statutes including Title VI, Title VII, and the Fair Housing Act. The order revokes prior presidential approvals of DOJ regulations permitting disparate-impact claims, instructs the Attorney General to repeal or amend implementing regulations across all agencies within 30 days, and requires agencies to reassess pending investigations and consent judgments relying on disparate-impact theory within 45–90 days and take "appropriate action" consistent with the order's policy.
• President Trump issued proclamation designating Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust, April 20–27, 2025 — President Trump issued a proclamation on April 23, 2025, designating April 20–27, 2025, as Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust. The proclamation honors the six million Jewish victims and other groups persecuted by the Nazi regime. It references an executive order directing federal action against anti-Semitic harassment in schools and colleges, including removal of resident aliens who violate laws, and commits to investigating anti-Semitic discrimination in universities.
• President Trump issued proclamation designating National Park Week, April 19–27, 2025 — President Trump signed a proclamation on April 23, 2025, designating April 19–27, 2025, as National Park Week. The proclamation celebrates national parks as sources of inspiration, education, and recreation, and references the administration's actions to restore names to parks (including returning Mount McKinley to its former name) and the creation of the National Garden of American Heroes honoring 250 American patriots. The proclamation encourages Americans to learn about the natural and historical heritage of national parks.
• President Trump issued proclamation designating National Volunteer Week, 2025 — The White House issued a proclamation on April 23, 2025, designating April 20–26, 2025, as National Volunteer Week. The proclamation honors volunteers across the country who serve in soup kitchens, shelters, schools, hospitals, and religious organizations. It calls upon all Americans to observe the week by volunteering in service projects and pledging to make service part of their daily lives.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14278 on workforce development and skilled trades training — President Trump signed Executive Order 14278 directing the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce, and Education to review all Federal workforce development programs within 90 days and submit a report identifying opportunities to consolidate, streamline, and redirect fragmented programs toward skilled trades and reindustrialization. The order also directs a 120-day plan to expand Registered Apprenticeships to reach 1 million new active apprentices and mandates improved transparency on program performance outcomes including earnings and employment data.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14279 reforming higher education accreditation standards — President Trump signed Executive Order 14279 on April 23, 2025, directing the Secretary of Education to reform accreditation practices in higher education. The order states that accreditors have "abused their enormous authority" by approving low-quality institutions and imposing "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI) standards. It directs the Secretary to hold accreditors accountable for unlawful discrimination, investigate law schools and medical schools for DEI-based accreditation requirements, and establish new accreditation principles focused on student outcomes without reference to race, ethnicity, or sex. The order also directs resumption of recognition for new accreditors and streamlined processes for institutions to change accreditors.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14281 eliminating disparate-impact liability in federal civil rights enforcement — President Trump signed Executive Order 14281 on April 23, 2025, directing federal agencies to deprioritize enforcement of civil rights statutes and regulations that rely on disparate-impact liability theory. The order revokes prior presidential approvals of Department of Justice Title VI regulations, instructs the Attorney General to repeal or amend implementing regulations across all agencies, and requires agencies to reassess pending civil rights investigations, lawsuits, and consent judgments within 45–90 days to align them with the order's policy. The order states that disparate-impact liability "mandates, rather than proscribes, discrimination" and claims it violates the Constitution and equal protection principles.
• Trump signed executive order eliminating disparate-impact liability in federal enforcement — The White House issued a fact sheet announcing that President Trump signed an executive order eliminating the use of disparate-impact liability across federal agencies. The order directs agencies to deprioritize enforcement of statutes and regulations containing disparate-impact provisions, instructs the Attorney General to repeal or amend Title VI racial nondiscrimination regulations that contemplate disparate-impact liability, and orders review of pending investigations, lawsuits, and consent judgments relying on disparate-impact theory. The fact sheet characterizes the order as restoring "merit-based" opportunity and "equal treatment."
• White House Initiative on HBCUs established by executive order — President Trump signed Executive Order 14283 establishing a White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, housed in the Executive Office of the President and led by a presidentially designated Executive Director. The Initiative is tasked with increasing private-sector engagement in HBCU institutional development, infrastructure upgrades, workforce preparation, and research funding competitiveness. The order also establishes a President's Board of Advisors on HBCUs in the Department of Education and revokes Executive Order 14041 from September 2021, along with directing termination of the EPA's HBCU and Minority Serving Institutions Advisory Council within 14 days.
• White House issues fact sheet on AI education executive order — The White House published a fact sheet on April 23, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump to advance AI education and workforce development for American youth. The order establishes a White House Task Force on AI Education, chaired by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, to coordinate a Presidential AI Challenge, develop public-private partnerships for K-12 AI education, and direct federal agencies to prioritize AI training in grant programs and workforce initiatives. The fact sheet states the order directs the Secretary of Labor to increase AI apprenticeships and the Secretary of Education to prioritize AI in teacher training grants.
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order establishing HBCU Initiative — The White House published a fact sheet on April 23, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that day establishing a White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), housed in the Executive Office of the President. The order creates a President's Board of Advisors on HBCUs within the Department of Education and directs the Initiative to prioritize private-sector partnerships, workforce preparation in technology, healthcare, manufacturing, and finance, and to address barriers to federal and state grant funding. The fact sheet states the Initiative will convene an annual White House Summit on HBCUs.
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order mandating foreign funding disclosure by universities — The White House published a fact sheet on April 23, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that day. The order directs the Secretary of Education to require universities to disclose foreign funding sources and purposes, reverse prior administration actions that permitted obscuring such details, and work with the Attorney General to enforce compliance through audits and investigations. The fact sheet states that federal grant funds may be revoked for non-compliance and claims the prior administration had weakened oversight of foreign funding in higher education.
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order reforming higher education accreditation — The White House published a fact sheet on April 23, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that directs the Secretary of Education to overhaul the accreditation system for higher education institutions. The order states it will hold accreditors accountable through denial, monitoring, suspension, or termination of recognition; directs investigation of alleged unlawful discrimination by institutions; and mandates accreditation realignment around student outcomes, intellectual diversity among faculty, and program-level data without reference to race, ethnicity, or sex. The fact sheet claims accreditors have failed to ensure quality and have imposed discriminatory diversity standards.
• White House issues fact sheet on school discipline executive order — The White House published a fact sheet on April 23, 2025, promoting an executive order signed by President Trump on school discipline policies. The order directs new guidance to educational agencies emphasizing compliance with Title VI protections and requiring discipline based on "objective behavior, not DEI." The fact sheet characterizes prior Obama-era guidance as having pressured schools to equalize disciplinary rates by race, and claims the Biden Administration "weaponized" Title VI. The order requires a report analyzing DEI-based discipline and proposing model policies.
• White House issues fact sheet on workforce training executive order — The White House published a fact sheet on April 23, 2025, promoting an executive order signed by President Trump directing the Secretaries of Labor, Education, and Commerce to review and modernize federal workforce programs. The order states it aims to prepare workers for skilled trades and emerging industries, with a stated goal of supporting more than 1 million apprenticeships per year. The fact sheet claims the order addresses a projected shortage of skilled tradespeople and redirects federal workforce investment away from traditional higher education toward apprenticeships and career-technical training.
• White House signed Executive Order 14277 establishing AI education task force and initiatives — The White House signed Executive Order 14277 on April 23, 2025, directing the establishment of a White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education chaired by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. The order directs federal agencies to develop public-private partnerships for K-12 AI resources, create a Presidential AI Challenge, enhance educator training in AI, and expand AI-related registered apprenticeships and workforce development programs. Implementation deadlines range from 90 to 120 days.
• White House signed executive order on foreign funding disclosure at universities — President Trump signed Executive Order 14282 directing the Secretary of Education to enforce Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, which requires universities to disclose foreign funding sources. The order states that universities failed to disclose more than half of reportable foreign gifts from 2010–2016, and claims the prior administration undermined investigations. It directs the Secretary to reverse prior actions permitting secrecy, require more detailed disclosure, increase public access to foreign funding information, and hold institutions accountable for non-compliance, including through withholding federal grants.
• White House signed executive order on school discipline policies — President Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Education and Department of Justice to issue new guidance within 30 days requiring schools to apply discipline policies without regard to racial disparities, characterizing prior guidance as promoting "discriminatory equity ideology." The order directs the Secretary of Education to take enforcement action against schools failing to comply with Title VI, requires coordination with state officials within 60 days, mandates a Department of Defense school discipline code revision within 90 days, and requires a comprehensive report within 120 days assessing discipline-related Title VI investigations since 2009 and recommending model policies.
• Trump rolled back school discipline guidance on racial bias — Trump rolled back guidance on school discipline that addresses racial bias, which was introduced by Barack Obama in 2014. Trump had previously removed the guidance during his first term, but Biden reinstated it in 2023. The rollback eliminates protections against racially disparate discipline in schools.
• Trump signed executive order overhauling college accreditation system — Trump signed a series of executive orders, including an overhaul of the accreditation system for colleges and universities to prevent "unlawful discrimination and ideological overreach" through DEI-related policies and standards. The order targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in higher education.
• Trump signed order eliminating disparate-impact liability — Another executive order sought to eliminate "disparate-impact liability" – the legal theory that policies that appear neutral but disproportionately harm marginalized communities can still be considered discriminatory – from federal civil rights enforcement. The move prompted backlash from advocates.