Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• ICE deportations of Southeast Asian refugees accelerate under Trump administration — Since Trump took office in 2025, ICE has dramatically escalated deportations of Southeast Asian immigrants with prior criminal convictions. On August 11, ICE deported more than two dozen Hmong and Laotian nationals to Laos, including Wa Kong Lor, who arrived with only $65 and no prior connection to the country. A Memorial Day weekend flight removed 158 Vietnamese and Laotian nationals. The Lao Embassy issued 145 travel papers for deportation since January—a tenfold increase. Over 150 Southeast Asians in Minnesota have been deported since May. The administration pressured Laos with sanctions threats to accept deportees despite lacking a formal repatriation agreement.

Supporting reports

• Mother files $1 million damages claim against DHS/ICE for detention of 15-year-old US citizen at gunpoint — The mother of a 15-year-old US citizen with disabilities filed a $1 million damages claim against the Department of Homeland Security, US Customs and Border Protection, and ICE on August 29, 2025, alleging false imprisonment and unconstitutional racial profiling. On August 11, masked federal immigration agents surrounded a vehicle outside Arleta High School in Los Angeles, pulled the teenager from the car at gunpoint, handcuffed him for several minutes, then released him after realizing they had detained the wrong person. The claim alleges agents had no reasonable suspicion or probable cause, caused physical injury and emotional distress, and left live ammunition at the scene.

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• Trump administration deploys National Guard to DC and escalates ICE enforcement, causing restaurant closures and worker flight — Following President Trump's deployment of the National Guard to Washington DC and intensified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, multiple restaurants have closed or severely reduced operations due to immigrant workers and customers fearing deportation and detention. ICE has been reported targeting delivery drivers on mopeds and conducting traffic stops with DC police to check immigration status. Restaurant owners report staff shortages, plummeting revenue, and inability to pay workers. Immigrants comprise 36% of DC's restaurant and hospitality workforce, including 42,000 self-employed entrepreneurs.

Supporting reports

• VA terminates collective bargaining agreements with unions representing health workers — The Department of Veterans Affairs terminated labor agreements with unions representing most of its health workers, citing a March executive order from President Trump that sought to eliminate collective bargaining rights on "national security" grounds. The termination eliminates the VA's obligation to respond to worker reports of unsafe working conditions and voids contract language requiring professional training for nurses and rules governing temporary reassignment based on qualifications. Unions representing 320,000 VA workers stated the agency was retaliating against workers for speaking up for patients and said they would challenge the action in court.

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• Alt5 Sigma pursues $1.5 billion WLFI token acquisition with circular financing structure — On August 11, 2025, Alt5 Sigma announced that Zach Witkoff (co-founder of World Liberty Financial) would become its chairman and Eric Trump would join its board. Alt5 Sigma then announced a strategy to acquire $1.5 billion in WLFI tokens, with half financed by World Liberty Financial itself using WLFI tokens as payment. The remaining $750 million was raised from hedge funds including Jane Street. This circular transaction—in which World Liberty Financial acts as both buyer and seller of its own tokens through a publicly traded shell company—artificially inflates demand and directly enriches Trump and his family while using other investors' capital.

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• Judge rejects Trump administration request to unseal Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury transcripts — Federal Judge Paul Engelmayer in New York formally rejected the Trump administration's Department of Justice request to publicly release grand jury transcripts from the Ghislaine Maxwell case. The judge ruled that releasing the transcripts would undermine grand jury secrecy protections and found the materials contained no new information beyond what was already public. Engelmayer characterized the government's motion as a "diversion" rather than a genuine transparency effort, noting the transcripts consisted only of routine law enforcement testimony.
• Federal judge rejected unsealing of Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury testimony — A federal judge rejected the Trump administration's request to unseal grand jury testimony from Ghislaine Maxwell's sex trafficking case, finding the records not to be of significant historical or public interest and suggesting the government's effort to unseal materials "was aimed not at 'transparency' but at diversion."
• Judge denies request to unseal Maxwell grand jury files — Judge Paul Engelmayer of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York denied the Trump administration's request to unseal grand jury files related to Ghislaine Maxwell's sex trafficking case. The judge criticized the Department of Justice for misleading the public about the potential revelations of the files, stating that the request appeared to be aimed at creating an illusion of transparency rather than genuine disclosure.
• Judge Engelmayer rejects DOJ request to unseal Maxwell grand jury files — Judge Paul Engelmayer of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York refused to grant the Trump administration's request to unseal grand jury files from Ghislaine Maxwell's sex trafficking case. The judge found that the DOJ's premise—that the materials would reveal meaningful new information about Epstein's and Maxwell's crimes—was "demonstrably false" and noted that the material is already largely public. Judge Engelmayer further observed that the government's motion appeared aimed at "diversion" and "the illusion of" transparency rather than genuine disclosure.

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• California sues Department of Justice over unauthorized National Guard and Marine deployment to Los Angeles — Governor Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed suit against the Department of Justice, alleging that the federal government unlawfully deployed approximately 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles in June without authorization. The lawsuit invokes the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits federal troops from acting as law enforcement. Court testimony and documents revealed that troops accompanied ICE during arrests and that deployment documents referenced "demonstrating federal reach and presence" alongside stated missions to guard federal buildings and law enforcement officials.
• California Sues Department of Justice Over Unauthorized Troop Deployment — California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice, claiming it unlawfully deployed approximately 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles without proper authorization. The lawsuit cites the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts federal troops from acting as law enforcement officers.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge hears case on Trump administration's deployment of national guard and marines to Los Angeles without California governor's consent — A federal judge in San Francisco began hearing evidence and arguments on whether the Trump administration violated the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act by deploying approximately 4,000 California national guard troops and 700 marines to Los Angeles without Governor Gavin Newsom's consent following immigration enforcement protests in June. Judge Charles Breyer is considering whether to order the return of remaining troops to state control. The Trump administration argues the deployment was necessary to protect federal buildings and personnel; California contends it was political theater and an unconstitutional exercise of federal power over state military forces.

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• California Governor Newsom issues warning on redistricting — California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a public letter to President Trump on August 11, 2025, warning that if Trump does not cease attempts to redistrict Republican-dominated states to rig the 2026 elections, California will be forced to work to redistrict itself. Newsom stated that Trump is "playing with fire, risking the destabilization of our democracy" and that California "cannot stand idly by as this power grab unfolds," though he expressed reluctance to abandon independent, citizen-led redistricting efforts. Newsom's press office followed with social media posts using emphatic language warning Trump to "stand down" or face California's counter-strike, with posts referencing a press conference and final warning to be announced.

Supporting reports

• Trump declares crime emergency in District of Columbia, delegates Metropolitan Police operational control to Attorney General — President Trump signed Executive Order 14333 on August 11, 2025, declaring a crime emergency in Washington, D.C., citing elevated violent crime rates. The order invokes section 740 of the Home Rule Act to place the Metropolitan Police Department under federal operational control, delegating authority to the Attorney General to direct the Mayor and determine necessary police services. The order cites 2024 crime statistics (27.54 homicides per 100,000 residents, 842.4 vehicle thefts per 100,000) and frames the emergency as necessary to protect federal workers, buildings, and government operations.
• Trump declared crime emergency in Washington, D.C., to take control of police — On August 11, 2025, President Trump declared a crime emergency in Washington, D.C., under the 1973 Home Rule Act to assume control of the city's police department. The Department of Justice had reported that crime in the District was at a 30-year low. The Home Rule Act permits such a takeover only if "special conditions of an emergency nature exist" and limits the takeover to 30 days unless Congress passes a joint resolution to extend it.
• Trump declares crime emergency in District of Columbia, delegates police control to Attorney General — President Trump issued an executive order on August 11, 2025, declaring a crime emergency in Washington, D.C., and invoking section 740 of the Home Rule Act to place the Metropolitan Police Department under federal control. The order delegates operational authority to the Attorney General, who may direct the Mayor to provide police services for federal purposes. Trump cited elevated violent crime rates (27.54 homicides per 100,000 residents in 2024, vehicle theft at 842.4 per 100,000) as justifying the emergency declaration and federal takeover of local law enforcement.
• President Trump signed Executive Order 14333 declaring a crime emergency in the District of Columbia and delegating operational control of the Metropolitan Police Department to the Attorney General. — On August 11, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14333, invoking section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to declare special conditions of emergency requiring the use of the Metropolitan Police Department for federal purposes. The order directs the Mayor to provide Metropolitan Police services for the maximum period permitted under law and delegates presidential authority to direct the Mayor to the Attorney General. The order cites 2024 crime statistics (27.54 homicides per 100,000 residents, 842.4 vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents) and asserts that D.C. has higher violent crime rates than all 50 states. The Attorney General is tasked with monitoring conditions and updating the President on whether further action is needed.
• President Trump signs executive order declaring crime emergency in District of Columbia — President Trump signed an executive order on August 11, 2025, declaring a crime emergency in Washington, D.C. The order invokes the President's authority under the District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act to require the Mayor to make Metropolitan Police Department services available to the President. The Attorney General is delegated authority to monitor the emergency and recommend further actions or termination. The fact sheet cites D.C. crime statistics (27 homicides per 100,000 residents in 2024; vehicle theft at 842.4 per 100,000) and frames the order as necessary to restore federal operations and public safety.
• White House issues release on "Liberation Day" declaring public safety emergency in Washington, D.C. — The White House issued a release on August 11, 2025, announcing that President Trump declared a public safety emergency in Washington, D.C., and placed Attorney General Pam Bondi in command of the Metropolitan Police Department. The release states the action targets "known gangs, drug dealers and criminal networks" and attributes the city's crime crisis to "abject failures of the city's local leadership." The document includes testimonials from D.C. residents supporting the measure.
• Trump Assumes Control Over D.C. Metropolitan Police Department — President Donald J. Trump announced at a press conference that he is taking control of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department and deploying over 100 FBI agents, 40 agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, along with other federal officers and National Guard members to address crime in the capital. He stated that officers would clear homeless encampments from the city. This move comes despite statistics showing a significant decrease in violent crime in D.C.
• Trump signs executive order seizing DC police department control — President Trump signed an executive order on August 12, 2025, placing the DC Metropolitan Police Department under federal control, with Attorney General Pam Bondi assuming command. Trump also announced deployment of 800 National Guard troops to DC streets. The order was justified by claims of rising violent crime, but official DOJ data shows violent crime in DC declined 35% in 2024 (the lowest in over 30 years) and an additional 25% year-to-date in 2025. Crime expert Jeff Asher confirmed violent crime is declining regardless of categorization method.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General announces DOJ employee charged with assaulting federal officer — US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Sean Charles Dunn, a 37-year-old DOJ international affairs specialist, was charged with felony assault on a federal officer after allegedly throwing a sandwich at a US Customs and Border Protection officer in Washington DC on August 10. Bondi stated Dunn had been fired from the Department of Justice. The incident occurred during a confrontation between Dunn and CBP officers patrolling northwest DC; authorities say Dunn yelled at officers before throwing the sandwich and attempting to flee.
• Man charged with felony assault for throwing sandwich at federal border agent in Washington DC — Sean Charles Dunn, 37, was charged with assaulting a federal officer after allegedly throwing a wrapped Subway sandwich at a US Customs and Border Protection agent during a patrol in Washington DC on Sunday night. The incident, captured on video, occurred as Dunn yelled "Fascists!" and "Shame!" at the officers. The felony charge carries potential penalties of up to one year in jail and significant fines. The case was filed in US district court and is being prosecuted by US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, a Trump appointee.
• Sean Charles Dunn arrested for throwing sandwich at CBP officer — Sean Charles Dunn, 37, a former DOJ paralegal, was arrested and charged on August 13 after allegedly throwing a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection officer patrolling Washington DC's northwest district. Video footage shows Dunn confronting the armed officer, calling him and colleagues "fascists," shouting "I don't want you in my city," then throwing a soft object at the officer's chest before fleeing. The Trump administration subsequently released footage of heavily armed officers raiding Dunn's apartment, amplifying public attention to the case.

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• Vance predicted indictments for Obama administration over 2016 election intelligence — Vice President Vance stated on Fox News that he believes the Obama administration "broke the law" over its intelligence assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and predicted that "a lot of people [will] get indicted for that."

Supporting reports

• Trump directs White House lawyers to study legislation overturning DC Home Rule Act — Trump told reporters on Wednesday that White House lawyers were "already studying" the possibility of legislation to overturn the DC Home Rule Act of 1973, which grants Washington DC residents the right to elect their own mayor, council members, and neighborhood commissioners. This move would impose direct federal control over the capital's day-to-day governance, eliminating local democratic self-rule.

Supporting reports

• Chattah accuses Nevada senators of corruption without evidence — Sigal Chattah, interim U.S. attorney for Nevada, accused Nevada's Democratic U.S. senators Catherine Cortez-Masto and Jacky Rosen of committing corruption without providing evidence. She made cryptic references to bodies being buried, stating, "You know, a lot of these people, I know that they're scared because I know where a lot of the bodies are buried because I come from the defense world" and "Sometimes we even choose the location to bury them."

Supporting reports

• ICE used Sheraton hotel in Louisiana to detain immigrants despite Marriott's 2019 pledge — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained a father and teenage son at a Sheraton hotel in Alexandria, Louisiana, for four days in August 2025 before deporting them to Ecuador. The detention contradicts Marriott's July 2019 public commitment that its properties would not be used to cooperate with ICE or serve as detention facilities. A source with knowledge of hotel operations indicated the Sheraton has been used to detain immigrant families and unaccompanied children since its late 2023 renovation. Marriott did not respond to requests for comment about whether it has a formal contract with ICE or knowledge of the detentions.

Supporting reports

• ICE arrests of immigrants in New York City surged 200 percent — The New York Times reported that half of the immigrants arrested in New York City since Trump took office have been detained after being called to federal immigration offices or immigration courts. At least 2,365 immigrants have been arrested by ICE between late January and the end of June, marking a nearly 200% increase compared to the five months before Trump's term started. More than half of those arrested have no criminal record.

Supporting reports

• Yeonsoo Go released from ICE custody after visa dispute — Yeonsoo Go, a 20-year-old South Korean student at Purdue University, was released from ICE custody after being detained by immigration officials in late July at a visa hearing and placed in expedited removal proceedings. DHS claims Go "overstayed her visa that expired more than two years ago," but her lawyer says that Go entered the US lawfully and had a visa that was valid until December 2025.

Supporting reports

• Essayli pressures subordinates to pursue MAGA-aligned cases — Bill Essayli, interim U.S. attorney for Los Angeles, has repeatedly pressured his subordinates in the Los Angeles U.S. Attorney's Office to pursue cases aligned with Trump's political agenda despite warnings of insufficient evidence, according to reporting by Bloomberg Law.
• Sarcone publicly confirms DOJ investigation into New York Attorney General James — John Sarcone III, interim U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York, publicly confirmed the DOJ's investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of Trump's foremost political adversaries. While confirming the probe, Sarcone disparaged James by accusing her of being improper, unprofessional, and unethical. This public confirmation appeared to violate internal DOJ policies regarding commentary on ongoing investigations.

Supporting reports

• Defense attorney challenges Habba's authority in criminal prosecution — Thomas Mirigliano, a defense attorney representing defendants facing trial on drug and gun charges in New Jersey, filed a motion asking a court to throw out the indictment or bar Habba and her deputies from prosecuting the case. Mirigliano argued that by circumventing constitutionally mandated appointment procedures and encroaching on judicial powers granted by statute, the executive branch had exceeded its lawful authority and violated his clients' due process rights and those of all similarly situated defendants.

Supporting reports

• DOJ extends Bill Essayli's term as interim U.S. attorney for Los Angeles — The DOJ extended the tenure of Bill Essayli as temporary U.S. attorney for Los Angeles. Essayli, a former assistant U.S. attorney and twice-elected Republican California assemblyman, has used his position to carry out Trump's mass deportations and the president's response to protests and civil unrest in the Los Angeles area. He has charged labor leaders and pursued cases aligned with Trump's political agenda despite warnings of insufficient evidence.
• DOJ extends John Sarcone's term as interim U.S. attorney for Northern District of New York — John Sarcone III's term as interim U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York was set to expire in July 2025 after federal judges declined to permanently appoint him. Days after judges rejected him, the DOJ redesignated his title and named him as a special attorney, extending his tenure. Sarcone, a former Trump campaign attorney with no prior prosecutorial experience, had used his four-month interim role to publicly denounce Albany Police Department leadership, feud with local journalists, and criticize former President Biden's immigration policies. He also publicly confirmed a DOJ probe into New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of Trump's foremost political adversaries.
• DOJ extends Sigal Chattah's term as interim U.S. attorney for Nevada — The DOJ extended the tenure of Sigal Chattah as temporary U.S. attorney for Nevada before courts could weigh in on her permanent appointment. Hundreds of federal and state judges had asked courts to reject Chattah's permanent appointment based on her long history of racially charged and violence-tinged statements against political opponents and elected officials. Chattah, a former Republican National Committee member, has shown partisan bias while in her temporary role, targeting Nevada's Democratic U.S. senators Catherine Cortez-Masto and Jacky Rosen.

Supporting reports

• Defense Secretary Hegseth reposts video opposing women's voting rights — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reposted a video featuring Christian nationalist pastors expressing opposition to women voting. In the repost, Hegseth wrote "All of Christ for All of Life," amplifying messaging that ties Christian nationalism to restrictions on voting rights. The video was shared on a public platform, making it an official statement by a sitting Cabinet member.

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• Trump and DOJ execute maneuver to restore Habba as interim U.S. attorney — After Attorney General Bondi fired Desiree Leigh Grace, Trump and the DOJ executed a multistep maneuver to restore Alina Habba to the U.S. attorney position. Habba resigned as interim U.S. attorney, Trump withdrew her nomination before the Senate, Bondi appointed Habba to Grace's former first assistant position and designated her a "special attorney to the attorney general." The DOJ then claimed that Habba would automatically fill the vacant U.S. attorney role for a 210-day term under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, circumventing the judges' selection of Grace and the statutory appointment process.

Supporting reports

• Trump announced federal takeover plan for Washington, D.C. — President Trump announced on Saturday, August 9, and reiterated on Sunday, August 10, via social media posts that he intends to "federalize" Washington, D.C., citing alleged crime and homelessness. He stated he will hold a press conference Monday to announce plans to remove homeless individuals from the capital and increase incarceration, claiming violent crime is "totally out of control" despite data showing D.C. violent crime has reached its lowest level in 30 years. Trump referenced a carjacking attempt by two unarmed 15-year-olds on August 6 as justification.
• Trump demands homeless residents leave Washington DC — President Trump posted on Truth Social demanding that homeless residents of Washington DC "move out, IMMEDIATELY," stating they would be relocated to places "FAR from the Capital." The demand came after Trump was driven past homeless encampments en route to his golf club in Virginia. This occurred amid his broader federal takeover of DC policing and represents a coercive displacement order targeting an economically vulnerable population.
• Trump demands homeless residents leave Washington DC or face eviction — President Trump posted on Truth Social demanding homeless residents of Washington DC "move out, IMMEDIATELY," threatening eviction and promising to relocate them "FAR from the Capital." The post, made Sunday morning after Trump's motorcade passed encampments en route to his Virginia golf club, included photographs of tents and a sleeping person. Trump announced a Monday news conference on "Crime" and "Cleanliness" and told reporters White House lawyers were studying legislation to overturn DC's Home Rule Act and impose federal control over the city.

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• Trump administration sends patent-compliance letter to Harvard University — The Trump administration sent a letter to Harvard University notifying it of alleged failure to comply with the Bayh-Dole Act regarding patents worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Treasury Secretary Howard Lutnick's letter stated that non-compliance allows the federal government the option to assume ownership of the university's patents and set a September 5 deadline for Harvard's response.

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• Texas House files arrest warrants for Democratic representatives in Illinois — The Texas House of Representatives filed arrest warrants with an Illinois court seeking the civil arrest and return of Texas Democratic representatives who fled the state to prevent a quorum on redistricting legislation. The filing requests that Illinois law enforcement coordinate with the Texas Sergeant of Arms and Department of Public Safety to compel the representatives' return to Texas.