Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• DHS deployed 19 USC 1509 administrative summonses to obtain records on journalists, non-profits, and unions without judicial oversight — The Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security has systematically used an obscure customs law (19 USC 1509) to issue administrative summonses demanding records from social media companies and telecommunications providers targeting journalists (Georgia Fort, Don Lemon, Megyn Kelly, Brendan Gutenschwager, Democracy Now), unions (SEIU, Communications Workers of America), and left-leaning non-profits (Sunrise Movement, Voices for Racial Justice). The summonses bypass judicial review required for search warrants and include secrecy directives. Fort's six-month phone records from T-Mobile and YouTube account information were obtained after a federal judge had twice rejected similar warrant requests in February 2026, citing lack of probable cause.
• Trump administration uses customs law to obtain journalist records without judicial oversight — The Trump administration deployed an obscure legal maneuver to obtain private information on journalists, non-profits, and unions without judicial oversight. The Department of Homeland Security served Google with an administrative summons citing 19 USC 1509, a customs statute, to obtain YouTube account information for journalist Georgia Fort and Don Lemon. The summons bypassed judicial review required for search warrants, which a judge had twice rejected for lacking probable cause. DHS officials used the customs provision—designed to investigate import duties and taxes—to investigate a domestic protest at a Minneapolis church that the journalists were covering.

Supporting reports

• ICE agents conducting arrests in immigration courthouses despite prior judicial recognition of chilling effect — ICE agents have conducted high-profile mass arrests in immigration courthouses, stalking hallways and detaining immigrants. This practice reverses a shared understanding since at least 1996 between immigration judges and DHS that enforcement presence in courts creates a "chilling effect" on respondents' ability to present their cases. EOIR officials dismissed this concern as "contrary to logic." A federal judge has since blocked the policy, but the arrests have already created fear and distrust, causing many immigrants to avoid attending hearings.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration admits clean energy grant cancellations were based on state voting patterns — Federal officials admitted in court filings that $7.5 billion in cuts to clean energy projects initiated under President Biden were "based solely" on whether states voted for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in 2024, contradicting the administration's public claim that cuts targeted waste. Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought had announced the cancellations as eliminating "Green New Scam funding," but a government lawyer told the court no cancellations were based on "programmatic, statutory, cost-reduction or performance-based factor." The administration funded grants for Trump-supporting states despite Energy Department recommendations for cancellation.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court allows Trump administration to end TPS protections for Haitians and Syrians — The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling on Thursday allowing the Trump administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitians and Syrians who have lived and worked legally in the U.S. for over a decade. Justice Alito's majority opinion rejected claims that the policy was racially motivated, despite Trump's documented statements calling Haiti a "shithole country" and asserting Haitians were "poisoning the blood" of America. The decision strips legal status from approximately 350,000 Haitians and 4,000 Syrians.
• Supreme Court allowed Trump administration to end TPS for 350,000 people — The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, allowed the Trump administration to terminate temporary protected status (TPS) for more than 350,000 people from Syria and Haiti who had fled wars and violence. The six right-wing justices cited procedural reasons, though Trump loyalists interpreted the ruling as endorsement of white nationalist immigration policy.
• SCOTUS barred judicial review of TPS terminations for Haiti and Syria — The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Mullin v. Doe that federal law creating the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program bars courts from reviewing determinations by then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to end TPS designations for Haiti and Syria. The decision removed judicial oversight of executive decisions to strip protected status from foreign nationals.
• Supreme Court Ruling in Mullin v. Doe — On June 25, 2026, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in the consolidated cases of Mullin v. Doe and Trump v. Miot, reversing lower court decisions and allowing the Trump administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Syrian and Haitian nationals. The decision was made in a 6-3 vote, with Justices Kagan, Sotomayor, and Jackson dissenting. The majority opinion, written by Justice Alito, stated that the law governing TPS does not permit judicial review of decisions regarding the termination of TPS designations.
• Supreme Court allowed Trump to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians — The Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to remove Temporary Protected Status for approximately 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians, requiring them to leave the country or face arrest and deportation once a termination date is set. Justice Samuel Alito concluded that the TPS law authorizes Trump to end the program without court intervention. Justice Kagan dissented, arguing the majority failed to acknowledge Trump's bigoted statements and endorsed racism.
• Supreme Court cleared way to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians — In a 6–3 ideological ruling on Thursday, June 26, the Supreme Court held that the law governing Temporary Protected Status bars judicial review of the Homeland Security secretary's decision to end it. The ruling permits the administration to strip protection from more than 350,000 Haitians and several thousand Syrians who have lived and worked legally in the country for up to a decade. Justice Kagan's dissent noted the president's "repellent and racially inflected" statements about Haitians. Advocates warned the reasoning endangers roughly 1.3 million people covered by TPS designations across more than a dozen countries.
• Supreme Court strips TPS from Haitians and Syrians; allows asylum turnaround policy — The U.S. Supreme Court issued two 6-3 rulings on June 26, 2026, allowing the Trump administration to strip temporary protected status (TPS) from hundreds of thousands of Haitians and Syrians and to implement a policy permitting border officials to turn back asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border without processing claims. The decisions affect over 350,000 TPS holders and countless asylum seekers. Democratic lawmakers and immigration advocates condemned the rulings as "disastrous" and a violation of international law and federal refugee protections.
• US Supreme Court allows Trump administration to strip Temporary Protected Status from Haitians and Syrians — The US Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling on June 26, 2026, upholding the Trump administration's termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 350,000 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians. Justice Samuel Alito's majority opinion held that courts cannot review executive decisions on TPS revocation. The ruling overturned lower court injunctions and leaves hundreds of thousands of legally resident immigrants vulnerable to deportation despite their home countries being designated unsafe by the State Department.
• White House issues fact sheet celebrating Supreme Court TPS termination ruling and listing 60 immigration enforcement actions — The White House issued a fact sheet on June 26, 2026, announcing that the Supreme Court had upheld the Trump Administration's authority to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian migrants. The document frames this as a victory for "American sovereignty" and lists 60 actions taken as part of what it characterizes as the "largest and most aggressive immigration enforcement effort in American history," including expanded ICE workforce, accelerated deportations, border wall construction, visa restrictions, and denaturalization efforts.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court clears way for asylum seekers to be physically blocked at U.S.-Mexico border — On Thursday, the Supreme Court issued a ruling clearing the way for the Trump administration to turn away asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border by physically blocking them from setting foot on U.S. soil. The decision permits implementation of a "metering" policy instructing border officials to stand at the border line and deny entry to migrants seeking asylum, effectively circumventing statutory asylum protections.
• SCOTUS upheld asylum-seeker turnback policy at U.S.-Mexico border — The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Mullin v. Al Otro Lado that the federal government's "metering" policy—systematically turning back asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border before they can enter—does not violate federal asylum law. CBP officials implement the policy by standing at the border and refusing entry to noncitizens without valid travel documents, including asylum applicants.
• Supreme Court restored asylum-denial authority at southern border — On Thursday, June 26, the Supreme Court restored the administration's authority to turn away asylum seekers at overburdened crossings on the southern border, handing the administration a second immigration win in a single day.
• Supreme Court upholds Trump asylum turn-back policy at US-Mexico border — The US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the Trump administration may revive its "metering" or turn-back policy, allowing federal agents to prevent asylum seekers from physically entering US soil and claiming asylum protections. The majority, led by Justice Alito, interpreted "arrive in" narrowly to exclude migrants stopped at the border threshold. Justice Sotomayor's 35-page dissent warned the ruling would allow the government to circumvent international and domestic asylum law, potentially exposing vulnerable people to persecution or death.
• US Supreme Court upholds Trump administration asylum metering policy at US-Mexico border — On the same day, the Supreme Court issued a second 6-3 ruling, written by Justice Alito, upholding the Trump administration's authority to turn away asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border when officials deem crossings too overburdened. The decision supports the administration's revival of the "metering" policy, which had been discontinued under President Biden, allowing the government to deny asylum claims based on border capacity determinations.

Supporting reports

• Trump demands SAVE America Act as condition for DHS funding — Trump posted on Sunday that he would not agree to any DHS funding proposal unless Democrats also supported the SAVE America Act, which would require voters to show proof of citizenship in addition to ID, end mail-in voting, and attack transgender rights. The act is characterized as a voter suppression measure; voting by undocumented immigrants is already virtually nonexistent and illegal, and mail fraud occurs in only approximately 0.000043% of mail-in ballots. Republicans plan to use budget reconciliation to pass the measure without Democratic support, potentially removing more than 21 million Americans from voter rolls.
• Trump signed executive order imposing proof-of-citizenship voting requirement — On March 25, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order titled "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections" instructing the Election Assistance Commission to add a proof-of-citizenship requirement to the federal voter registration form and requiring the Secretary of Defense to impose the same requirement on military and overseas voter forms. The order lists passport, military ID, or government-issued ID indicating citizenship as valid proof, effectively requiring most people to use a passport—which only about half of Americans possess. The order also directs the Attorney General to challenge states that count mail-in ballots received after Election Day and instructs federal agencies to review state voter rolls for fraud.
• Trump Advocates for the SAVE America Act — Trump publicly supported the SAVE America Act, which aims to impose stricter voting requirements, including proof of citizenship and the elimination of mail-in voting. This act is seen as a voter suppression measure, despite the low incidence of mail-in voting fraud.
• Trump Demands Changes to DHS Funding Negotiations — Trump pressured Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster to pass legislation funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) without Democratic support, while also insisting on the inclusion of the SAVE America Act, which would impose stricter voting requirements and limit mail-in voting.
• Trump demanded Senate add SAVE America Act to DHS funding — On Sunday, March 27, President Trump demanded that the Senate add the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act to the DHS funding measure. The act would require proof of citizenship to register and vote, severely restrict mail-in voting, and require states to surrender voting lists to a federal database (the SAVE system) used to screen for noncitizens. The Brennan Center estimated the act would remove at least 21 million Americans from voting rolls, with the SAVE database showing false-positive rates as high as 14%.

Supporting reports

• DHS agents arrest Columbia student using false pretenses — DHS agents arrested Columbia University student Ellie Aghayeva after misrepresenting themselves as police searching for a missing child to gain access to an off-campus residence building, according to the university's president. Aghayeva was released from federal custody hours later following an apparent intervention by Trump after he met with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who raised concerns about the detention.
• Mamdani meets Trump in Oval Office; secures housing funding pitch and immigration detainee release — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani met with President Trump in an unannounced Oval Office visit on Thursday. Mamdani pitched a $21 billion federal grant proposal for 12,000 affordable housing units, including construction over a rail yard in Sunnyside, Queens. During the meeting, Trump appeared "enthusiastic" about the housing plan. Mamdani also secured the release of a Columbia University student from federal immigration detention who had been arrested that morning, and requested Trump consider dismissing cases against four other detained students, including Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil.
• Trump agreed to release detained Columbia student following mayor's intervention — NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani met with President Trump and raised concerns about Elmina Aghayeva's detention by ICE. Trump agreed to release her "imminently." Aghayeva confirmed her release via Instagram the same day, stating she was "safe and okay." The intervention bypassed normal legal processes and demonstrated executive discretion over immigration enforcement outcomes based on political access.
• ICE detained Columbia student Elmina Aghayeva using misrepresentation to gain apartment access — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered an off-campus Columbia University residential building on February 27, 2026, by falsely claiming to search for a missing child. They detained student Elmina Aghayeva without a warrant. Columbia's acting president confirmed agents misrepresented themselves and lacked proper legal authorization. Following a meeting between NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Trump, Aghayeva was released the same day. The incident sparked campus protests and criticism from state officials over ICE's tactics.

Supporting reports

• ICE memo authorizes warrantless home entry using force — An internal ICE memo from May 2025, reported by the Associated Press, authorizes agents to use force to enter people's homes without a warrant from a judge. Legal experts stated that such guidance violates the Fourth Amendment's protections against unreasonable search and seizure.
• ICE memo claims authority for warrantless home entry — A leaked memo from ICE, signed by Acting Director Todd Lyons in May 2025, suggests that immigration agents may use an administrative removal document, Form I-205, as authority to enter homes and arrest individuals without a judge-signed warrant. This memo, reported by the Associated Press, raises significant Fourth Amendment concerns as it implies a shift from judicial oversight to administrative self-authorization for home entries by ICE agents.
• ICE Memo Signals Shift in Home Entry Protocols — A leaked memo from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) suggests a potential policy shift from requiring judicial oversight to allowing administrative self-authorization for home entries. This change could have significant implications for Fourth Amendment rights, which protect against unreasonable searches and seizures. The memo indicates an escalation in enforcement tactics, raising concerns about the balance between security measures and civil liberties. The response from civil society, particularly in Minnesota, includes plans for protests and economic disruptions to oppose this shift.
• ICE memo authorized warrantless home entries using only administrative paperwork — ICE whistleblowers and new reporting revealed a secret internal memo authorizing agents to force their way into people's homes without a judge's warrant, relying only on ICE-issued administrative paperwork that even DHS training materials say is unconstitutional. The memo was deliberately hidden, passed around verbally, and used to train new recruits, explaining recent door-busting raids like the one in Minneapolis where no judicial warrant was shown.
• ICE memo authorizes warrantless home entries based on administrative warrants — According to an internal ICE memo, federal immigration officers are asserting sweeping power to forcibly enter people's homes without a judge's warrant, marking a sharp reversal of longstanding constitutional guidance. The memo authorizes ICE officers to use force to enter residences based solely on administrative warrants to arrest individuals, bypassing judicial oversight requirements.
• Senator Blumenthal warned against secret ICE warrantless entry policy — Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) issued a public warning against the secret ICE policy authorizing agents to break into homes without judicial warrants. He characterized the policy as "unlawful & morally repugnant" and stated that "every American should be terrified" by it. Blumenthal emphasized that in a democracy, the government is barred from breaking into homes without approval from a judge, except in vanishingly rare circumstances.
• Leaked ICE memo attempts to redefine warrant standards to permit warrantless home entry — A leaked ICE memo attempts to justify home entry without a judge-signed judicial warrant, instead relying on internal administrative paperwork. The memo distinguishes between judicial warrants (signed by a judge) and administrative warrants (internal executive-branch paperwork), effectively claiming the executive branch can grant itself permission to enter homes. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal has formally raised this as a constitutional violation in writing, citing Fourth Amendment concerns.

Supporting reports

• DOJ subpoenas Minnesota Democratic officials over immigration enforcement obstruction — The Trump Justice Department subpoenaed several Minnesota officials, including Democratic Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, as part of a federal investigation into whether they obstructed or impeded federal agents conducting a mass immigration crackdown through their public statements. Mayor Frey characterized the probe as a bullying tactic to suppress political opposition.
• Justice Department subpoenas Minnesota Democratic officials over immigration enforcement obstruction — Trump's Justice Department subpoenaed several Minnesota officials, including Democratic Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, as part of a federal investigation into whether they obstructed or impeded federal agents conducting a mass immigration crackdown through their public statements. Mayor Frey characterized the probe as a bullying tactic to quash political opposition.
• Justice Department subpoenas Minnesota Democratic officials over alleged ICE obstruction — The U.S. Justice Department issued subpoenas to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, State Attorney General Keith Ellison, and other Democratic officials on January 21, 2026, as part of an investigation into whether they conspired to impede federal immigration enforcement. The subpoenas request documents on immigration policies, communications with state agencies, and materials related to "hindering, doxxing, identifying, or surveilling immigration officers." Legal experts have characterized the claim as flimsy, and officials have stated the investigation is politically motivated retaliation.
• Department of Justice subpoenas Minnesota Democratic leaders — The Department of Justice subpoenaed several prominent Minnesota Democrats, including Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, accusing them of conspiring to impede ICE operations. The subpoenas came in response to state and local officials' public condemnation of the federal deployment of thousands of ICE agents as an unconstitutional "federal invasion" and retaliatory campaign against civil liberties.
• DOJ issues subpoenas to Minnesota state and local officials investigating alleged obstruction of ICE enforcement — The U.S. Justice Department issued subpoenas to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and other state and local elected officials this week as part of an investigation into whether they were conspiring to impede federal immigration enforcement. The action follows recent ICE operations in Minneapolis that have drawn criticism for detaining a five-year-old child and using gas against protesters. Governor Walz characterized the subpoenas as political retaliation rather than legitimate law enforcement.

Supporting reports

• FBI assumes sole control of Minneapolis ICE shooting investigation, blocking state access to evidence — Following the shooting death of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis, the U.S. Attorney's Office reversed course and transferred the investigation solely to the FBI, removing the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) from the case and denying state investigators access to evidence, scene materials, and forensic findings. State and local officials, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, expressed alarm that the federal investigation cannot be fair given prior statements by Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Vice President JD Vance prejudging the case and the agent's conduct.
• FBI limits cooperation with local law enforcement in ICE shooting investigation — The FBI has taken the unusual step of restricting cooperation with local Minneapolis law enforcement agencies regarding the investigation into Jonathan E Ross's shooting of Renee Nicole Good. This limitation prevents local authorities from accessing evidence needed to file potential criminal charges against the federal agent, effectively consolidating investigative control within federal authorities and reducing the possibility of independent accountability.
• Senator Smith questions legitimacy of Trump administration investigation — U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minnesota) publicly questioned the legitimacy of the Trump administration's investigation into the ICE shooting, citing the administration's strategy of excluding state investigators and controlling the narrative. She expressed concern that the public would not accept the federal government's version of events, particularly given video evidence contradicting official claims.
• Mayor Frey calls for state inclusion in federal ICE shooting investigation — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey publicly called on the Trump administration to include Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in the federal investigation of the ICE shooting. Frey criticized the administration for being "so quick to jump on a narrative as opposed to the truth," referencing Noem's premature "domestic terrorism" characterization. He stated the investigation must be conducted transparently and without predetermined conclusions.
• Minneapolis mayor requests state investigators be included in FBI inquiry into Good shooting — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called on the FBI to include state officials in its investigation of the Renee Good shooting, criticizing the Trump administration's refusal to allow Minnesota state investigators to participate. Frey accused the administration of being "so quick to jump on a narrative as opposed to the truth," highlighting the lack of transparency and state-federal cooperation in the investigation.
• DHS deploys hundreds more federal agents to Minneapolis following Renee Good shooting — Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced the deployment of "hundreds more" federal agents to Minneapolis as part of what DHS described as its largest enforcement operation to date, following the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old American citizen, by an ICE officer on Wednesday. The escalation occurred amid widespread protests across the US. Door-to-door raids began Sunday with heavily armed agents; some protesters were hit with chemical spray. Over 2,000 immigration arrests have been made in Minnesota since the operation began in early December.
• Secretary Noem asserts state prosecutors lack jurisdiction in ICE shooting investigation — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that state-level prosecutors "don't have any jurisdiction in this investigation" of the ICE shooting. This assertion blocked Minnesota state officials from participating in the inquiry, centralizing control of the investigation within the federal government despite local concerns about impartiality.
• FBI excludes Minnesota state investigators from Renee Good shooting investigation — The FBI and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) initially agreed to conduct a joint investigation into Renee Good's death, standard procedure for officer-involved shootings. This agreement was quickly rescinded. The BCA lost "access to the case materials, scene evidence [and] investigative interviews necessary to complete a thorough and independent investigation." The FBI, run by Kash Patel—a Trump partisan who wrote children's books referring to Trump as a "king"—will lead the investigation exclusively. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison stated the federal government was undermining "a fair, transparent investigation" and that the FBI investigation "will look simply like a whitewash."
• Federal agents removed Renee Good's vehicle before state examination — Federal law enforcement removed Renee Good's vehicle from the crime scene before state investigators could examine it. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty revealed this removal. Good's car is a key piece of evidence because it could help definitively establish whether ICE agent Ross was struck in any way, making its removal before independent examination a critical loss of evidence integrity.
• Federal law enforcement selectively leaked evidence to partisan outlet — Since asserting control over the investigation, federal law enforcement selectively leaked evidence to ideologically friendly publications. A 47-second video of the incident was shared with Alpha News, a right-wing outlet in Minnesota, before being released by DHS the next day. Vice President Vance amplified the video. This selective leaking to partisan outlets undermines the integrity of the investigation and shapes public narrative through controlled information release.
• DOJ blocks state and local authorities from participating in FBI investigation of ICE shooting — The DOJ blocked state and local authorities from participating in the FBI's investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Senior federal officials, including the president, had already characterized Good as a domestic terrorist who threatened the ICE officer's life and was shot in self-defense, foreclosing any genuine federal inquiry into the agent's conduct.

Supporting reports

• Pam Bondi's letter to Governor Walz linking voter files to immigration enforcement — Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote a letter to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in January suggesting that if he turned over the state's voter files, violent attacks by federal immigration enforcement agencies could end. Legal experts characterized this as coercive and inappropriate, using the threat of continued violence to pressure a state official into surrendering voter data.

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• Trump administration invoked sedition law against six Democratic lawmakers for reminding troops of duty to refuse illegal orders. — Trump posted on Truth Social attacking six Democratic lawmakers (Senators Mark Kelly, Elissa Slotkin; Representatives Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan) who had released a 90-second video stating "You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders." Trump called them traitors and claimed they committed "seditious behavior, punishable by death." The administration and allies then cited 18 U.S.C. § 2387, a federal sedition statute, as the legal basis for the attack. Legal experts widely agree the lawmakers' statement reinforces military discipline rather than undermining it, as the law requires.
• Trump threatened sedition charges against Democratic lawmakers — Trump threatened six Democratic lawmakers with sedition charges after they publicly urged military personnel to refuse illegal orders. The lawmakers had warned troops in response to allegations that Defense Secretary Hegseth ordered the killing of shipwrecked survivors in a Caribbean military operation.

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• DOJ fired career prosecutors investigating Trump — The Department of Justice, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, fired dozens of career prosecutors who worked on cases investigating the former president. Bondi refused to answer questions about whether she was firing career professionals specifically because they worked on January 6 investigations or other Trump-related cases.
• Democratic senators denied access to ICE detention facility in Illinois — U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth visited an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois on Friday, requesting a tour and attempting to deliver supplies to protesters, but were barred from entering. Both senators invoked their congressional oversight authority and expressed concern about undisclosed conditions inside the facility. Durbin stated he had never experienced such "stonewalling" from a presidential administration in his tenure.

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• Trump signs executive order directing prosecution of flag burning as incitement or fighting words — President Trump signed Executive Order 14341 on August 25, 2025, directing the Attorney General to prioritize enforcement of federal, state, and local criminal laws against flag desecration, framing such acts as potential incitement to violence or fighting words. The order instructs the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security to deny or revoke immigration benefits for foreign nationals engaged in flag desecration. The order acknowledges Supreme Court precedent (Texas v. Johnson) protecting flag burning as speech but asserts the administration will prosecute flag desecration under content-neutral laws and pursue litigation to clarify First Amendment exceptions.
• Trump ordered DOJ to prosecute flag burning — Trump ordered the Department of Justice to prosecute anyone who burns an American flag, claiming such individuals would automatically face one year in prison. This order contradicts the 1989 Supreme Court ruling in Texas v. Johnson, which established flag burning as protected First Amendment speech.
• Trump announced executive order directing DOJ to prosecute flag burning — Trump held a press event in the Oval Office and announced an executive order instructing the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute instances of flag burning. Trump claimed burning a flag would result in one year in jail and a criminal record. White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf clarified that the order directs DOJ to prosecute flag burning only where it constitutes criminal activity (such as burning someone else's property) and does not violate First Amendment protections, since the Supreme Court previously ruled flag burning as political speech is constitutionally protected.
• Trump issues executive order directing prosecution of flag burning — President Trump issued an executive order on August 25, 2025, directing the Attorney General to prioritize enforcement of federal, state, and local laws against flag desecration. The order instructs the DOJ to prosecute flag burning as a crime where it violates content-neutral laws (disorderly conduct, open burning, property destruction) and authorizes the State Department, Attorney General, and DHS to deny or revoke visas, residence permits, and immigration benefits for foreign nationals engaged in flag desecration. The order acknowledges Supreme Court precedent in Texas v. Johnson but asserts authority to prosecute flag burning that incites imminent lawless action or constitutes "fighting words."
• White House signed executive order directing prosecution of flag desecration — The White House signed Executive Order 14341 on August 25, 2025, directing the Attorney General to prioritize enforcement of criminal and civil laws against flag desecration, including violent crimes, hate crimes, and property crimes. The order instructs the Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Secretary of Homeland Security to deny or revoke visas, residence permits, and immigration benefits for foreign nationals engaged in flag desecration. The order acknowledges Supreme Court precedent in Texas v. Johnson but asserts authority to prosecute flag burning that incites imminent lawless action or constitutes "fighting words."
• Trump signs flag-burning criminalization order — Trump signed an executive order to criminalize the burning of a US flag, an action the Supreme Court ruled was protected under the First Amendment in 1989. The order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to prioritize prosecuting flag desecration cases and allows officials to deny or revoke visas and residence permits for immigrants who burn flags.
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order prosecuting flag desecration — The White House published a fact sheet on August 25, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump directing the Attorney General to prosecute flag desecration "to the fullest extent permissible" and to "pursue litigation to clarify the scope of First Amendment in this area." The order also directs the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security and the Attorney General to deny, prohibit, terminate, or revoke visas, residence permits, naturalization proceedings, and other immigration benefits for foreign nationals determined to have desecrated the flag, or to seek their removal from the United States.
• Trump signs executive order directing prosecution of flag burning as protest — On Monday, August 26, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue criminal charges against individuals who burn American flags during protests. The order directs prosecutors to explore alternative charges such as disturbing the peace or environmental violations. This action attempts to circumvent the 1989 Supreme Court ruling in Texas v. Johnson, which established that flag burning constitutes protected political speech under the First Amendment.
• Trump signed executive order banning flag burning — Trump issued an executive order criminalizing flag burning. The order drew immediate criticism from conservative legal scholars and right-wing media figures who noted that the Supreme Court had settled in Texas v. Johnson that flag burning constitutes protected free speech under the First Amendment. Multiple conservative commentators, including Justice Antonin Scalia's son, cited the constitutional prohibition on such restrictions.
• Trump issued executive order criminalizing flag burning — President Trump issued an executive order directing arrest and prosecution of Americans for burning the American flag, despite a standing Supreme Court ruling protecting flag-burning as free speech under the First Amendment. Although Trump's order acknowledged the SCOTUS ruling, the Secret Service arrested one man who burned a flag near the White House in protest of the order.

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• Pam Bondi sends threatening letters to 32 mayors and county executives over sanctuary city policies — Attorney General Pam Bondi sent letters to mayors of 32 cities and some county executives, threatening prosecution of political leaders she views as insufficiently supportive of federal immigration enforcement. The letters, citing a Trump executive order from April 28, demand recipients confirm compliance with federal law and eliminate local policies that "impede federal immigration enforcement" by August 19. Bondi stated publicly: "if you're not [complying], we're going to come after you." Recipients including Seattle, Rochester, and New York City disputed the legal merit of the threats and reaffirmed their local policies.
• Bondi sends anti-sanctuary-city letters to 32 mayors and county executives — Attorney General Pam Bondi sent letters to mayors of 32 cities and several county executives warning of her intent to prosecute political leaders who are not sufficiently supportive of federal immigration enforcement in her view. The letters targeted Democratic-led sanctuary cities and represented a federal threat of criminal prosecution against local officials for their immigration policies.
• US Attorney General Bondi sends letters threatening prosecution and federal fund cuts to sanctuary cities — US Attorney General Pam Bondi sent letters to dozens of cities and counties warning that local leaders could face criminal prosecution and federal funding cuts if they do not "cooperate" with Trump's deportation enforcement scheme. The letters specifically target sanctuary policies that prevent local law enforcement from sharing immigration information with federal officials. Bondi stated that officials "operating under the color of law" to obstruct federal immigration enforcement "may be subject to criminal charges."

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• Spanish-language journalist Mario Guevara remains in ICE custody despite bond order — AP reported that Spanish-language journalist Mario Guevara is still in ICE custody despite a judge ordering his release on bond last week. Guevara, who was arrested last month while covering the "No Kings" protest, continues to face deportation proceedings.

Supporting reports

• US government attempts second deportation of stateless Palestinian woman despite judicial stay order — Ward Sakeik, a 22-year-old stateless Palestinian woman born in Saudi Arabia, was detained in February 2025 after returning from her honeymoon in the US Virgin Islands. On June 22, US District Judge Ed Kinkeade issued an order barring her deportation or removal from Texas pending case resolution. Despite this judicial order, immigration officers attempted to deport her again on Monday (June 30), waking her early and instructing her to leave without acknowledging the court's stay. Her lawyers filed suit after a prior deportation attempt in May without informing her destination.
• Stateless Palestinian woman released from ICE detention after four months — Ward Sakeik, a 22-year-old stateless Palestinian woman who arrived in the US at age eight, was detained by ICE in February upon returning from her honeymoon in the US Virgin Islands. After more than four months in detention across three facilities, she was released following legal action by her attorneys. The government had attempted to deport her twice, including once despite a judge's order barring her removal from Texas, and claimed she had overstayed a tourist visa and had a final deportation order from over a decade prior.

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• DHS issues guidance requiring 72-hour notice for congressional ICE facility inspections — Homeland Security issued guidance requiring members of Congress to provide 72 hours of prior notice before visiting ICE facilities for inspections. The guidance directly conflicts with federal law that grants members of Congress immediate access to ICE facilities for inspection purposes. The guidance was subsequently removed from the DHS website.

Supporting reports

• 60 Minutes investigation found 75% of deported men had no criminal record — A 60 Minutes investigation found that 75% of 238 men the Trump administration sent to El Salvador last month had no criminal record, and the vast majority of those who did were convicted of non-violent crimes like shoplifting and trespassing.
• CBS News reported 75% of Venezuelans deported to El Salvador lack criminal convictions — CBS News's 60 Minutes reported that 75% of the Venezuelans the Trump administration sent to prison in El Salvador have no apparent criminal convictions or criminal charges. Another 22% have records for nonviolent crimes such as shoplifting or trespassing. Only a dozen or so are accused of serious crimes including murder, rape, assault, or kidnapping. When reporters asked the Department of Homeland Security about these numbers, a spokesperson claimed that those without criminal records "are actually terrorists, human rights abusers, gangsters, and more; they just don't have a rap sheet in the U.S."
• Report on Venezuelan Deportations Raises Due Process Concerns — A report revealed that 75% of Venezuelans deported to El Salvador by the Trump administration had no criminal convictions, raising alarms about the treatment of migrants and the lack of due process. The Department of Homeland Security defended the deportations, claiming that those without records are still dangerous.
• Ruling affirmed — Abrego Garcia v. Noem (D. Md.) 8:25-cv-00951 — Defendants submitted a Response to the Order stating that the government could not provide information in response to the April 10 order by the designated time of 9:30AM ET on April 11. After a hearing in which the government did not provide answers, the judge issued an Order stating “counsel [for the Defendant] could not confirm, and thus did not advance any evidence, that Defendants had done anything to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return. This remained Defendants' position even after this Court reminded them that the Supreme Court of the United States expressly affirmed this Court's authority to require the Government ‘facilitate' Abrego Garcia's return” (emphasis in original). The order requires the Defendant to provide a daily update of actions taken to facilitate his return.
• Trump administration deported individuals to El Salvador without court hearings based on alleged gang tattoos — Since taking office, the Trump administration has deported hundreds of individuals it alleges are members of Tren de Aragua to a notorious prison in El Salvador without court hearings. Recent legal challenges have raised questions about the accuracy of gang allegations, with lawyers arguing that some deportees were misidentified based solely on tattoos. Cases include a man deported for a crown tattoo inspired by Real Madrid's logo and a makeup artist deported after officials deemed his crown tattoos—referencing Three Kings Epiphany celebrations—proof of gang membership. The pattern suggests systemic reliance on unreliable tattoo-based identification.

Supporting reports

• Trump signs executive order requiring documentary proof of citizenship for federal voter registration — President Trump signed an executive order on March 25 requiring documentary proof of citizenship to be added to federal voter registration forms. States that do not comply face federal funding cuts. White House staff secretary Will Scharf characterized the order as "the farthest-reaching executive action taken" in the country's history. Multiple states have announced they will challenge the order as an unconstitutional federal overreach. The order targets the same nonexistent problem of noncitizen voting that the Save Act addresses.
• Trump executive order directs EAC to amend federal voter registration form — President Trump's March 25 executive order "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections" instructs the Election Assistance Commission to amend the federal voter registration form to require proof of citizenship documentation, such as a passport. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, 21.3 million eligible Americans lack readily available proof of citizenship, meaning the requirement could disenfranchise millions of voters despite noncitizen voting being extremely rare.
• Trump executive order threatens to withhold federal election funding from states — Trump's March 25 executive order threatens to withhold federal election funding from states that count mail-in ballots received after Election Day, even if those ballots were mailed before Election Day. Over a dozen states allow this practice. The order also instructs the Secretary of Defense to add proof-of-citizenship requirements to military and overseas voter registration forms and directs the EAC to decertify all previously certified voting machines.
• White House issued fact sheet on executive order directing election integrity measures — The White House published a fact sheet on March 25, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that day. The order directs federal agencies to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration, mandates state access to federal databases for citizenship verification, prioritizes prosecution of non-citizen voting, conditions federal election funding on state compliance with citizenship verification and paper ballot requirements, and directs the Attorney General to enforce voter-list maintenance and prevent non-citizens from election administration roles.
• White House signed Executive Order 14248 on election integrity requirements — The White House signed Executive Order 14248 on March 25, 2025, directing federal agencies to enforce citizenship verification in voter registration, require paper ballots with voter-verifiable records, enforce Election Day ballot receipt deadlines, prevent non-citizen voting, coordinate with states on voter list maintenance, prosecute election crimes, and secure voting systems. The order mandates the Election Assistance Commission amend voting system guidelines within 180 days and condition federal funding on state compliance with citizenship documentation and ballot receipt requirements.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14248 requiring documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration, enforcing Election Day ballot receipt deadlines, and directing federal agencies to verify voter eligibility and prosecute election crimes. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14248 on March 25, 2025, establishing federal election-integrity policies. The order mandates documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration; requires states to reject ballots received after Election Day; directs DHS, DOJ, and SSA to share citizenship and eligibility databases with election officials; authorizes DOJ to withhold federal funds from non-compliant states; requires voting systems to produce voter-verifiable paper records; and directs cessation of prior administration voting-access initiatives. The order invokes federal statutes governing election administration and citizenship verification.
• Trump signed executive order on election integrity requiring citizenship documentation and voter list maintenance — President Donald Trump issued an executive order on March 25, 2025, titled "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections." The order directs federal agencies to enforce existing election laws, including requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration, mandating states maintain accurate voter rolls, restricting mail-in ballot counting to Election Day, and requiring paper ballots with voter-verifiable records. It tasks the Election Assistance Commission, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and Social Security Administration with implementing citizenship verification, voter list audits, and prosecution of election crimes.
• Trump signed executive order on election laws — Trump signed an executive order making changes to election laws, including requiring proof of US citizenship on voter registration forms. States that don't comply with the directive could lose federal funding. The order also directs the attorney general to take action against states that count ballots received after election day in federal elections. The order also gives DOGE access to state voter lists, which could result in voter purges.
• Trump signs executive order requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration — Donald Trump signed a far-reaching executive order on March 26, 2025, that fundamentally alters U.S. voter registration processes by requiring documentary proof of citizenship (such as a passport) to vote in federal elections. The order amends the federal voter registration form, empowers federal agencies to cut funding to non-compliant states, instructs the DOJ to prosecute alleged "election crimes," and seeks to block states from accepting mail-in ballots after election day. Legal experts and voting rights advocates warn the order could disenfranchise tens of millions of eligible voters and faces constitutional challenges.
• Trump signed executive order on voter citizenship requirements — President Trump signed an executive order that would, if enforceable, dramatically change U.S. elections and restrict voting rights for tens of millions of Americans by imposing new citizenship verification requirements. Legal analyst Marc Elias of Democracy Docket characterized the order as "confused, rhetorical and—in places—nonsensical. It asserts facts that are not true and claims authority he does not possess. It is not meant to be taken seriously or literally. Rather, it is the empty threat of a weak man desperate to appear strong."
• Trump issues executive order on election integrity titled "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections" — President Trump issued an executive order titled "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections" that asserts presidential powers over election administration, including restricting which ballots states can count and granting DOGE unspecified authority to review state voter rolls. The order lacks constitutional or statutory basis, as election regulation authority rests with state legislatures and Congress, not the president. Election law advocates announced plans to challenge the order in court.
• Trump issues executive order on voting rules and mail ballot administration — President Donald Trump issued an executive order on voting on Tuesday, March 26, 2025, that directs states to change rules for accepting mail ballots and empowers the Department of Government Efficiency to subpoena state records to investigate voter fraud claims. The order represents a direct federal intervention in state election administration that exceeds the scope of Biden's 2021 voter registration executive order, which Republicans had challenged as unconstitutional federal overreach.
• Trump signed an executive order affecting U.S. elections — President Trump signed an executive order that aims to change U.S. elections by requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote. This order has been criticized as confusing and nonsensical, with experts suggesting it is not meant to be taken seriously. The order could potentially disenfranchise millions of Americans and raises concerns about voter access and election integrity.

Supporting reports

• Judge Blocks Deportation Flights to El Salvador — Judge Boasberg issued an order temporarily blocking the Trump administration from flying more migrants to a prison in El Salvador. The order comes amid reports of harsh conditions at the facility and concerns about the treatment of detainees. Despite the ruling, Trump's Deportation Czar, Tom Homan, stated that the administration would continue to arrest and deport individuals deemed public safety or national security threats.
• Trump administration defies court order in Venezuelan deportations — The Trump administration deported 137 Venezuelan migrants on Sunday despite a federal judge's verbal order to halt deportations. Administration officials, including border czar Tom Homan and Attorney General Pam Bondi, defended the deportations under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act (a wartime law), claiming the migrants were gang members committing violent crimes. Homan stated he does not care what judges think regarding the case, signaling defiance of judicial authority and court orders.
• Tom Homan refused to comply with Judge Boasberg's temporary restraining order blocking deportations to El Salvador — Trump's Deportation Czar Tom Homan publicly stated he would disregard a federal judge's temporary restraining order blocking further deportation flights to El Salvador. When asked about Judge Boasberg's order, Homan declared: "I don't care what that judge thinks as far as this case. We're gonna continue to arrest public safety threats, national security threats. We're gonna continue to deport them." The statement represents an explicit refusal to comply with judicial authority.
• Tom Homan refused to acknowledge due process rights for migrants facing deportation — When asked on ABC News whether migrants would receive any due process before deportation, Deportation Czar Tom Homan responded by invoking Laken Riley (a victim of a crime allegedly committed by an undocumented immigrant) rather than addressing the question, implying that due process protections are not applicable. The response suggests a policy of deportation without legal proceedings.

Supporting reports

• Kilmar Ábrego García deported in violation of 2019 immigration court order — Kilmar Ábrego García was deported to El Salvador in March in violation of a 2019 immigration court order that prevented his repatriation on grounds of possible persecution. He remained in custody in El Salvador's Cecot terrorism confinement facility for weeks while administration officials claimed inability to comply with a court order to facilitate his return. He was eventually returned to the US this month after the government secured a federal indictment accusing him of being a co-conspirator in a people-smuggling ring.
• Trump administration defies court order to return mistakenly deported Maryland resident — Kilmar Ábrego García, a Maryland resident with a federal deportation protection order, was arrested by immigration agents in March and deported to El Salvador without a court hearing, along with over 200 Venezuelan deportees. The Trump administration has admitted the deportation was in error but refuses to comply with court orders requiring his return. A federal appeals court on Thursday denied the administration's appeal and issued a scathing rebuke, stating the government cannot "stash away residents" in foreign prisons without due process. The White House posted mockingly on X that Ábrego García is "never coming back."
• Federal judge orders administration not to deport Kilmar Ábrego García to El Salvador — A federal judge issued an order prohibiting the deportation of Maryland resident Kilmar Ábrego García to El Salvador due to concerns for his safety. The administration subsequently ignored this judicial order and deported Ábrego García anyway, along with more than 230 other immigrants, mostly Venezuelans and nearly half with legal status in the U.S., to the CECOT terrorist prison in El Salvador in March.

Supporting reports

• Trump invokes Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to justify deportations based on Venezuelan gang activity — In March 2025, the Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798—previously used only three times in U.S. history—to claim authority to deport citizens of nations engaged in invasion or "predatory incursion." Trump contended that Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua's activities constituted an invasion justifying mass deportations. Multiple federal judges rejected this claim, with New York federal judge Alvin Hellerstein ruling in June that refugee migration and gang infiltration do not meet the law's definition of invasion or predatory incursion.