Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Federal judge dismisses DOJ lawsuit seeking California voter data — U.S. District Judge David Carter ruled Thursday that the Trump administration's Justice Department is not entitled to sensitive California voter information, including dates of birth and last four social security digits. The DOJ had sued California after the state's secretary of state refused to provide unredacted voter rolls, claiming the data was needed to verify voter eligibility. Carter found the request threatened voting rights and democracy, noting evidence the government intended to use the data for immigration enforcement and create a centralized database. The ruling blocks one of 24 similar lawsuits filed across states.

Supporting reports

• U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez prohibits DHS retaliation against protesters — U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez in Minneapolis issued an order prohibiting agents from the Department of Homeland Security from retaliating against or arresting peaceful protesters, using pepper spray or other less-lethal weapons against them, or stopping or detaining people following their vehicles. The judge's decision detailed how agents had treated protesters based on sworn testimony from plaintiffs, while noting that DHS agents did not provide sworn declarations from officers present at the incidents, instead relying on a declaration from the acting field office director who was not present at any of the incidents.
• Motion granted — Tincher v. Noem (D. Minn.) 0:25-cv-04669 — Judge Menendez granted Plaintiffs' motion in part, prohibiting federal agents from arresting, threatening, or using force against individuals solely for observing, recording, or verbally criticizing immigration enforcement activity, absent probable cause or a lawful order to disperse. The court also restricted the use of chemical irritants and other force against non-violent observers and imposed limits on vehicle stops.

Supporting reports

• Federal appeals court overturns detention challenge ruling in Mahmoud Khalil case — A federal appeals court overturned the ruling in the case of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate arrested in March 2025 for pro-Palestinian activism. The reversal opens the door to his eventual re-detention. Khalil, whose initial arrest was cited as the first target of Trump's effort to deport noncitizen students with pro-Palestinian views, plans to appeal the appellate decision.
• US appeals court reverses lower court decision freeing Palestinian activist from ICE detention — A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit reversed a lower court's order releasing Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student, from immigration detention. The court found that the district court lacked jurisdiction to hear Khalil's habeas petition, ruling that immigration courts—not federal courts—have authority over such claims. Khalil had been detained in March 2025 after the Trump administration argued his pro-Palestinian activism constituted a threat to US foreign policy. He was released in June 2025 but now faces potential re-detention.