Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Federal judge blocked revocation of legal status for 500,000 migrants under Biden parole program — A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from revoking the legal status and work permits of over 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who entered the US under a Biden-era parole program. The order protects the status of individuals who entered under prior legal authorization.
• Federal court temporarily blocks Trump administration termination of migrant legal status program — A federal district court judge in Boston issued a temporary injunction preventing the Trump administration from terminating a Biden-era program that granted legal status to approximately 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The program was set to expire on April 24, 2025. Judge Indira Talwani ruled that abrupt termination would force migrants to choose between leaving the country or facing removal proceedings, finding the administration's action legally problematic. The ruling represents a temporary setback for the administration's broader effort to roll back immigration protections.

Supporting reports

• Protect Democracy Project sued OMB over removal of federal funding database — The non-profit organization Protect Democracy Project sued the Office of Management and Budget and its director Russell Vought for removing a database on the office's website that shows how federal funding is disbursed to agencies. The lawsuit challenges the removal of transparency information.
• OMB removes federal spending transparency tracker; watchdog group sues for restoration — Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, deactivated a public tracker that disclosed how the federal government spends congressionally appropriated funds. Vought justified the removal by claiming the tool required disclosure of "sensitive, predecisional and deliberative information." The non-profit watchdog group Protect Democracy filed suit in US District Court in Washington DC on Monday, alleging the removal violated federal law requiring OMB to publicly post apportionment documents. The Government Accountability Office also challenged Vought's rationale, noting that apportionments are legally binding decisions and cannot be predecisional. The suit seeks a court declaration that the removal was unlawful and restoration of the tracker.
• Protect Democracy Project files lawsuit against DOGE and OMB over federal funding transparency — The Protect Democracy Project filed a lawsuit against the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and OMB Director Ross Vought, alleging that the Trump administration is violating the law by taking down a government website that displayed how federal funding is disbursed to agencies. The complaint states that the website "went dark, without explanation" and argues that Congress mandated transparency for apportionments to prevent abuses of power and strengthen oversight.

Supporting reports

• Associated Press blocked from White House despite court order restoring press access — The Associated Press reported that despite winning an injunction hearing and obtaining a court order to regain press access to the White House after being banned for refusing to print "Gulf of America," the organization's journalists were still blocked from the Oval Office when the order took effect. AP stated: "Our journalists were blocked from the Oval Office today. We expect the WH to restore AP's participation in the pool as of today, as provided in the injunction order."
• AP reporter and photographer denied access to Oval Office press pool — An AP reporter and photographer attempted to join the press pool in the Oval Office but were denied access, despite a court order prohibiting the Trump administration from blocking AP reporters from covering White House events. The denial violates the prior judicial order.
• White House banned Associated Press from Oval Office event despite court order — The White House barred an Associated Press reporter and photographer from attending a news conference with President Trump and El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, violating a U.S. District Court order issued the previous week that found the White House had violated the Constitution by blocking the AP's access to press events.

Supporting reports

• White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller claimed returning Abrego Garcia would be "kidnapping" — On Fox, White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller claimed that returning Abrego Garcia to the US would constitute a "kidnapping" and an "invasion of El Salvador's sovereignty," adding that he was "not mistakenly sent to El Salvador," despite the Trump administration admitting so in court. The statement contradicts the administration's own legal admissions.
• Trump administration officials made false statements about Abrego Garcia and Supreme Court ruling — White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller made false statements during an Oval Office event with El Salvador's president, claiming that Abrego Garcia is a member of MS-13 gang—a claim sourced from a police officer later suspended for providing information to a commercial sex worker in exchange for sexual acts. Miller also falsely stated that the Supreme Court's unanimous decision against the administration was actually in favor of it. Miller repeated these lies on news shows, using the case to showcase the administration's immigration agenda to its base.

Supporting reports

• Trump meets with El Salvador President Bukele; signals defiance of Supreme Court — On April 14, Trump held a staged meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office. Trump made clear he would ignore the Supreme Court's unanimous order requiring the administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return. The administration maintained it has no power to order Bukele to release Abrego Garcia, and Bukele stated he would not release the Maryland man. Vice President J.D. Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller were present.
• Trump and Bukele announced defiance of Supreme Court order to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia — President Trump met with El Salvador president Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office, where they jointly announced they would not comply with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling requiring the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a U.S. resident illegally detained in El Salvador. During the meeting, Trump told Bukele "We want to do homegrown criminals next" and discussed building additional detention facilities. The administration later filed a declaration to the court falsely claiming the Supreme Court had ruled 9–0 in their favor, when the Court had actually ruled against them on the merits while cautioning about presidential foreign-affairs power.

Supporting reports

• Trump proposes deporting US citizens to El Salvador; AG Bondi declines to confirm legality — On Monday, President Trump proposed deporting US citizens convicted of serious crimes to El Salvador for imprisonment, citing violent offenders. During a Tuesday Fox News interview, Attorney General Pam Bondi declined to affirm the proposal's legality, instead emphasizing crime reduction and incapacitation. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt characterized it as a "legal question" under review. Legal experts, including immigration law professors, stated the proposal is clearly illegal and unconstitutional under US law.
• White House press secretary defends potential deportation of U.S. citizens — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that "The president's idea for American citizens to potentially be deported, these would be heinous violent criminals who have broken our nation's laws repeatedly." The article notes that days earlier, Trump suggested that a former government employee was guilty of treason for writing a book about his time in the first Trump administration that Trump claimed was "designed to sow chaos and distrust" in the government, illustrating the administration's expansive definition of criminal conduct.
• Trump told Bukele he wants to go after "home-growns" next, suggesting sending US citizens to El Salvador — Before the press pool entered the Oval Office for the meeting with Bukele, Trump was heard on a government live stream telling Bukele he wants to go after the "home-growns" next, suggesting he would send US citizens to El Salvador. Speaking to reporters, Trump said he has no problem sending naturalized American citizens there.
• Trump stated intent to deport "homegrown criminals" including those who "push people into subways" — Trump told press he wants to expand deportation authority to include what he termed "homegrown criminals" who commit violent acts such as pushing people into subways. He stated he had instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to explore legal mechanisms for this expansion, saying "we always have to obey the laws, but we also have homegrown criminals that push people into subways. I'd like to include them in the group of people to get them out of the country."
• Trump stated intention to send U.S. citizens to El Salvador for imprisonment — During a meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office, Trump stated his intention to begin sending U.S. citizens to El Salvador for imprisonment, as documented in video clips from the meeting.
• Trump reiterated he would "love" to send US citizens to El Salvador mega-prison — Trump reiterated that he "would love" to send US citizens to El Salvador's mega-prison. The statement represents continued expression of intent to deport US citizens.
• White House press secretary said sending US citizens to El Salvador is "a legal question" — During a press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the prospect of sending US citizens to El Salvador is "a legal question that the president is looking into." The statement suggests the administration is seriously considering deporting US citizens.

Supporting reports

• Trump told Salvadorian autocrat Bukele he wants him to build more hard-labor torture prisons to send American citizens there — Trump told Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office that he wants El Salvador to build approximately five more hard-labor prisons to incarcerate American citizens. The statement was captured on a hot microphone from the Salvadorian government's livestream. Trump stated: "Home-growns are next. The home-growns. You gotta build about 5 more places. It's not big enough." This followed Trump's public statement to press that he wants to include "homegrown criminals" in deportation efforts.

Supporting reports

• Erik Prince pitches plan to expand renditions to El Salvador — According to reporting by Dasha Burns and Myah Ward of Politico on April 11, 2025, former Blackwater CEO Erik Prince is pitching a plan to expand renditions to El Salvador to include at least 100,000 criminal offenders from U.S. prisons. To avoid legal challenges, Prince's plan proposes making part of CECOT American territory and then leasing it back to El Salvador to operate, thereby potentially circumventing U.S. constitutional protections and judicial oversight.

Supporting reports

• Stephen Miller stated administration will continue sending people to El Salvador prisons — Stephen Miller stated outside the White House: "We're going to continue to send foreign terrorist aliens to El Salvador as well as to many other countries." This followed revelations that the administration had mistakenly deported U.S. citizen Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador and was refusing to return him despite a Supreme Court order.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration filed declaration to court containing false statements about Supreme Court ruling — The Trump administration filed a required declaration in the Abrego Garcia case that included a link to the Oval Office meeting video, thereby submitting Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller's false statements about the Supreme Court's ruling directly to the federal court. The declaration misrepresented the Court's decision to the judge.
• Trump administration claimed Supreme Court ruled they need not return mistakenly deported U.S. citizen — Trump claimed the Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that the administration does not have to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a U.S. citizen mistakenly deported to El Salvador. Stephen Miller stated the ruling was "in our favor, against the district court ruling, saying no district court has the power to compel foreign policy." However, ethics experts and legal analysts noted this was a misrepresentation of the actual Supreme Court ruling, which required the government to "facilitate" Abrego Garcia's release from Salvadorian custody.
• Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller made false statements about Supreme Court ruling — During the Oval Office meeting with Bukele, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller falsely told the press that the Supreme Court had ruled "9–0…in our favor" and that "the Supreme Court said that the district court order was unlawful and its main components were reversed 9–0 unanimously." Legal analysts confirmed the Supreme Court had actually ruled against the administration on the merits, though it cautioned about presidential foreign-affairs authority.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General Bondi refused to commit to returning mistakenly deported U.S. citizen — When asked by CNN's Kaitlan Collins whether the administration planned to request El Salvador return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a U.S. citizen mistakenly deported, Attorney General Pam Bondi stated: "That's up to El Salvador if they want to return him. That's not up to us." This contradicted the Supreme Court's order requiring the government to facilitate his release.
• Trump hosted El Salvador President Bukele; Attorney General Bondi said return decision is up to El Salvador — Trump hosted El Salvador President Nayib Bukele for a White House visit. During an Oval Office meeting, Attorney General Pam Bondi said that it was up to El Salvador to decide if it wanted to return Abrego Garcia to the US. Shortly after, Bukele claimed that he does not have the power to do so, contradicting Bondi's statement.

Supporting reports

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

Supporting reports

• Commerce Secretary Lutnick announced electronics tariff exemptions are temporary — Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated on ABC that the tariff exemptions on smartphones, laptops, and other electronics are temporary and will be reimposed within a month or so. He indicated that semiconductors and pharmaceuticals will be subject to a new tariff model designed to encourage reshoring of manufacturing. This announcement created immediate market confusion and investor concern about future tariff policy direction.
• Trump posted Truth Social message contradicting tariff exemption narrative — Trump posted on Truth Social claiming there was no tariff "exception" announced on Friday and that the products are subject to existing 20% "Fentanyl Tariffs" and are moving to a different tariff "bucket." He stated the administration is taking a look at semiconductors and the whole electronics supply chain in upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations. This contradicted the public narrative about the exemptions and added further confusion to tariff policy.
• US Customs placed tariff exemption on smartphones and electronics without public announcement — US Customs quietly exempted imported smartphones, semiconductors, solar cells, and memory cards from tariffs in the middle of the night, with no announcement from Trump or the US government. The exemption covered the #1 Chinese export to America and meant approximately 24% of China's total exports became exempt from the 125% tariff. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had announced days earlier that escalating tariffs aimed to bring iPhone production back to the US, making this reversal a sudden policy shift.

Supporting reports

• Government argues foreign affairs deference shields it from court orders — On April 13, 2025, administration lawyers argued that because Kilmar Abrego Garcia is now outside the country, any attempt to retrieve him would intrude on the president's power to conduct foreign affairs. They contended that the president can only be ordered to remove domestic obstacles to Abrego Garcia's return, not to take affirmative steps to retrieve him. They further argued that because El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele is currently visiting the United States, they should not be required to share updates about Abrego Garcia or answer court questions, as doing so would intrude on "sensitive" foreign policy issues.
• Administration claims foreign affairs immunity in Abrego Garcia case — In a court hearing, administration lawyers argued that any attempt to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador would intrude on the president's power to conduct foreign affairs. They suggested that the president is only required to remove domestic obstacles to his return, citing ongoing diplomatic relations with El Salvador.

Supporting reports

• Michigan Governor Whitmer used as prop in Trump announcement — Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was unexpectedly ushered into the Oval Office in front of cameras while Trump was announcing executive orders directing the DOJ to criminally investigate some of his former officials. Whitmer said she went to discuss Michigan-related issues but was used as a prop for the announcement. She attempted to cover her face as photos were taken, indicating she realized she had been manipulated.

Supporting reports

• Trump authorizes military control of federal land at US-Mexico border — President Trump issued a memorandum on Friday authorizing the US military to take direct control of federal lands at the US-Mexico border, including the Roosevelt Reservation (a 60-foot strip spanning California, Arizona, and New Mexico). The order grants the Department of Defense jurisdiction to conduct border-barrier construction, deploy detection equipment, and detain immigrants accused of trespassing on federal land pending transfer to immigration agents. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will assess the initial phase after 45 days and may extend the scope at any time.

Supporting reports

• DHS agents turned away from Los Angeles elementary schools seeking undocumented students — Immigration agents from the Department of Homeland Security attempted to enter two Los Angeles elementary schools (Lillian Street and Russell) on Thursday seeking five students in grades one through six. School principals turned them away after requesting identification. Los Angeles Unified, a sanctuary district, does not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. The incident marks the Trump administration's first attempt to enter LA public schools since rescinding Biden-era guidelines that prohibited ICE enforcement in sensitive areas including schools and churches.

Supporting reports

• DHS sent removal notice to US-born immigration lawyer — Nicole Micheroni, a US-born American citizen and Massachusetts immigration attorney, received an email from Trump administration immigration authorities on April 11 stating "It is time for you to leave the United States" and threatening law enforcement action if she did not depart immediately. DHS later claimed the notice may have been sent in error because her name appeared on client paperwork. The incident occurred amid aggressive Trump administration deportation efforts targeting both non-citizens and, according to public statements, potentially US citizens.
• Government sends erroneous deportation notices to U.S. citizens — The government mistakenly sent deportation notices to U.S. citizens, green card holders, and even a Canadian, threatening them with termination of their parole and demanding they leave the U.S. within seven days.
• Government sent erroneous deportation notices to U.S. citizens, green card holders, and foreign nationals — The government sent threatening emails to U.S. citizens, green card holders, and even a Canadian resident in Canada, terminating "your parole" and giving them seven days to leave the U.S. The notices were sent in error as part of the automated deportation system. The administration's attempt to automate mass deportation operations has produced widespread errors affecting people with legal status and foreign nationals outside U.S. jurisdiction.

Supporting reports

• Trump escalates attacks on Maine Governor Janet Mills over transgender sports policy — Trump escalated attacks on Maine Governor Janet Mills, demanding she prohibit transgender girls from participating in girls' sports in public schools. Mills, bound by a 2021 state law protecting against discrimination based on gender identity, stated she must comply with state and federal law. On February 21, Trump threatened to withhold federal education funding unless Mills complied. Mills responded "See you in court." Since then, the administration has opened investigations, cut and restored Social Security Administration contracts, and taunted Mills on social media. On Friday, the Department of Education said it would pull all federal education funding for Maine unless the state banned two transgender girls from girls' sports teams.

Supporting reports

• Department of Justice terminates environmental justice settlement agreement — The Department of Justice announced termination of an environmental justice settlement agreement involving Lowndes County, Alabama, citing President Trump's Executive Order 14151 on ending DEI programs. The Civil Rights Division closed the matter effective immediately. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated the DOJ will no longer pursue "environmental justice" through what the department characterizes as a "distorting, DEI lens," and indicated the department is closing similar cases in compliance with the Attorney General's directive.
• Trump administration terminates environmental justice settlement protecting Alabama residents from raw sewage exposure — On April 11, 2025, the Department of Justice announced termination of a 2023 settlement agreement with Alabama stemming from a DOJ investigation into the Alabama Department of Public Health's failure to address raw sewage exposure in Lowndes County (72% Black residents). The settlement required Alabama to cease criminal enforcement of sanitation laws against impoverished residents, assess health risks, and improve wastewater infrastructure. The termination, framed as part of Trump's January 20 executive order eliminating "environmental justice" programs, removes federal monitoring and leaves a $1.5 million septic system improvement program (covering only 60 homes in a county where two-thirds of 3,000 surveyed homes have failing systems) without enforcement obligation.

Supporting reports

• Trump announces five major law firms agree to $600m pro bono work to avoid punitive executive orders — Donald Trump announced on Friday that five major law firms—Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Allen Overy Shearman Sterling, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft—agreed to provide $600m in combined pro bono legal work to Trump-backed causes and adopt hiring practices that do not consider race, in exchange for avoiding executive orders punishing them. The EEOC agreed to withdraw a March 17 diversity inquiry letter. This brings Trump's total secured pro bono commitments from law firms to $940m.

Supporting reports

• Senate confirmed John Dan Caine as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff without required military service — The Senate confirmed Retired Air Force Lieutenant General John Dan Caine as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by a vote of 60–25 at approximately 2:00 a.m. eastern time. U.S. law requires the chairman to have served in one of five specific senior military positions; Caine held none of them. The president invoked a national-interest waiver to bypass the statutory requirement. Caine has 34 years of military experience but did not meet the legal prerequisites for the role.
• Senate confirms John Dan Caine as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — The Senate confirmed Retired Air Force Lieutenant General John Dan Caine as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by a vote of 60–25. Caine did not meet the usual qualifications for the position, but President Trump waived the requirement, raising concerns about the politicization of the military.

Supporting reports

• Doge demanded meeting with Vera Institute of Justice to embed staffers in independent criminal justice non-profit — Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) staff member Nate Cavanaugh emailed the Vera Institute of Justice on April 11, demanding a meeting to discuss embedding a Doge team within the organization, threatening that refusal would violate Trump's executive order. Vera, an independent criminal justice reform non-profit, agreed to the call. During a subsequent 20-minute phone call, Doge staffers informed Vera they planned to assign teams to "every institute or agency that has congressional monies appropriated to it." When Vera's legal counsel revealed the organization had already lost $5 million in DOJ contracts, Doge withdrew the request but refused to explain its legal authority to investigate the independent organization.

Supporting reports

• Trump signs memorandum for military mission at the southern border — President Trump signed a memorandum directing the secretaries of defense, interior, agriculture, and homeland security to create a military buffer zone along the southern border. This would allow active-duty soldiers to detain migrants until ICE agents arrive.
• Trump signed memorandum creating military buffer zone along southern border — President Trump signed a memorandum to the secretaries of defense, interior, agriculture, and homeland security calling for a "Military Mission for Sealing the Southern Border of the United States and Repelling Invasions." The memorandum creates a military buffer zone along the border so that any migrant crossing would be trespassing on a U.S. military base, allowing active-duty soldiers to hold migrants until ICE agents take them. By April 20, the secretaries of defense and homeland security are supposed to report whether the president should invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act to enable use of the military in mass deportations.
• White House issues National Security Presidential Memorandum directing military deployment to southern border — The White House issued National Security Presidential Memorandum-4 (NSPM-4) on April 11, 2025, directing the Secretaries of Defense, Interior, Agriculture, and Homeland Security to enable military operations along the southern border. The memorandum authorizes the Department of Defense to assume jurisdiction over federal lands (excluding Indian reservations), construct border barriers, and deploy detection equipment. It invokes emergency authorities under 43 U.S.C. 155 to withdraw public lands without standard limitations. The Secretary of Defense is empowered to determine necessary military activities and establish rules of engagement; implementation begins on a limited sector with a 45-day assessment period.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration proposes 48% cut to State Department and USAID budgets — The Trump White House Office of Management and Budget issued an internal memorandum proposing to reduce the combined State Department and USAID budget from approximately $55.4 billion to $28.4 billion—a 48% cut. The memo, dated April 10 and signed by Douglas Pitkin and Peter Marocco, envisions eliminating 90% of support for international organizations including NATO and the UN, slashing humanitarian assistance and global health funding by 54–55%, and eliminating programs including the Fulbright scholarship and the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations. The proposal requires Congressional approval and has drawn criticism from Democrats and the American Foreign Service Association.