Judge John D. Bates (D.D.C.) on Wednesday issued a preliminary injunction requiring White House staff to comply with the Presidential Records Act and not rely on an Office of Legal Counsel opinion and Executive Office of the President guidance. The injunction applies to White House staff excluding the president and vice president and also does not apply to the National Archives and Records Administration, the Archivist, the Department of Justice, and the Attorney General. (Memorandum Opinion.) (WaPo.)

The Justice Department on Wednesday indicted former Cuban president Raúl Castro in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on charges of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, destruction of an aircraft, and murder. The charges stem from the 1996 death of four individuals traveling on a pair of planes shot down by the Cuban military. (Indictment.) (NYT.) (WaPo.) (WSJ.)

The Justice Department on Tuesday charged a former prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida with stealing government documents related to special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation of Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents after he left office in 2021. The prosecutor allegedly sent an internal memorandum and a report to her personal email under the subject lines “chocolate cake recipe” and “bundt cake recipe.” (Indictment.) (NYT.) (WaPo.)

The New York Times reported that Senate Republicans appear poised to scratch $1 billion in funding for the president’s ballroom construction project from an immigration enforcement bill. The White House reportedly requested the money to finance the construction and bolster its position in litigation challenging the project by showing that Congress had blessed it. (NYT.)

Anna Bower and Eric Columbus analyzed the legal framework of the so-called Anti-Weaponization Fund and potential legal arguments to challenge it. (Lawfare.)

Andy C. McCarthy argued that Acting Attorney General Tod Blanche’s decision to grant the Trump family immunity from IRS enforcement action constitutes “executive branch ethical impropriety and self-dealing” that only Congress can address. (National Review.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay. The Court heard oral argument on April 29, 2026.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe. The Court heard oral argument on April 29, 2026.

Judge Royce C. Lamberth (D.D.C.) on Tuesday extended through June 8 a preliminary injunction blocking the transfer of transgender women prisoners, the plaintiffs in the case, to men’s facilities under an executive order on “gender ideology extremism.” Judge Lamberth noted that the extension runs through the expected issuance of the D.C. Circuit’s mandate vacating the portion of his prior order addressing the plaintiffs’ transfers. (Order.) For background on the D.C. Circuit’s ruling, see a previous Roundup.

Two police officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 today filed a lawsuit in the District of Columbia against President Trump, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent challenging the creation of the Anti-Weaponization Fund. The suit alleges that the Trump administration exceeded its statutory authority in creating “a $1.776 billion taxpayer-funded slush fund” without congressional authorization. It also claims that the fund “encourages those who enacted violence in the President’s name to continue to do so,” thereby endangering the plaintiffs’ safety. (Complaint.) (NYT.)

The DOJ on Tuesday released an addendum to the settlement of President Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service stating that the United States is “FOREVER BARRED and PRECLUDED” from prosecuting or pursuing certain claims involving Trump, related individuals, and affiliated entities, including matters involving tax returns filed before the settlement’s effective date. (Addendum.) (Politico.)

The Senate on Tuesday voted 50-47 to advance Sen. Tim Kaine’s war powers resolution seeking to block further U.S. military action against Iran without congressional authorization. Four Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the procedural vote. (WaPo.)

A group of 24 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia on Tuesday sued the Education Department and its secretary, Linda McMahon, in the District of Maryland over a new rule implementing the student loan changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The complaint alleges that the rule unlawfully narrows which graduate programs qualify for higher federal student loan limits. (Complaint.) (NYT.)

The Washington Post reports that federal agencies have declined to provide some records sought by the Government Accountability Office as part of its investigation into how DOGE members accessed sensitive government databases. (WaPo.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay. The Court heard oral argument on April 29, 2026.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe. The Court heard oral argument on April 29, 2026.

The Justice Department on Monday announced that it will establish an “Anti-Weaponization Fund” totaling $1.776 billion “to provide a systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare.” The fund will be created as part of the settlement agreement resolving President Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. (Press release.) (Directive.) (NYT.) Semafor reported that it is yet unclear how critics of the fund could legally contest the deal because there is no obvious plaintiff with standing. (Semafor.)

The Treasury Department’s general counsel, Brian Morrissey, reportedly resigned hours after the fund was announced on Monday. (NYT.) (WSJ.)

President Trump said Monday that he called off a planned attack on Iran in order to allow negotiations for a peace agreement to proceed. He added that he has instructed U.S. military leaders “to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached.” (Truth Social.) (WaPo.)

The Pentagon’s inspector general will investigate whether the U.S. military has adhered to targeting guidelines in its strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels as part of Operation Southern Spear, according to a statement the IG’s office provided to Bloomberg News. (Bloomberg.)

The New York Times and its reporter Julien Barnes filed a second lawsuit against the Defense Department in the District of Columbia on Monday. The lawsuit seeks to vacate and enjoin a revised Pentagon interim policy that requires journalists be accompanied by escorts while inside the building. (Complaint.) (WaPo.) For background on the Times’ other lawsuit challenging Pentagon press restrictions, see previous Roundups.

Minnesota state prosecutors on Monday charged an ICE agent with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime in connection with the nonfatal shooting of a Venezuelan man in January. A spokesperson for ICE called the charges “unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt.” (WSJ.)

According to the New York Times, President Trump on Monday submitted a report to Congress proposing that the refugee admissions level be lifted from 7,500 to 17,500 to allow an additional 10,000 white South Africans to gain entry into the United States as refugees. (NYT.)

Bob Bauer argued that Congress should develop legislation establishing the special body contemplated by the 25th Amendment to replace the Cabinet’s role in presidential inability proceedings. (Executive Functions.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay. The Court heard oral argument on April 29, 2026.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe. The Court heard oral argument on April 29, 2026.

The First Circuit declined to stay a preliminary injunction requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to reinstate its collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees’ VA Council while litigation proceeds over the Trump administration’s termination of the agreement. The court stayed in part a separate enforcement order requiring broader compliance with the agreement and continued grievance processing. (Opinion.)

President Trump, his two eldest sons, and the Trump Organization have agreed to dismiss their $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service with prejudice, according to a notice filed today in the Southern District of Florida. The filing did not mention details of any settlement. (Plaintiff’s Notice.) (WaPo.) For background, see previous Roundups.

President Trump disclosed stock transactions months after the legal reporting deadline, according to Office of Government Ethics filings. The filings reported aggregate transaction values of roughly $220 million to $750 million for the first quarter of 2026. (WaPo.) (NBC.)

The Senate parliamentarian on Saturday announced that the proposed $1 billion for President Trump’s White House ballroom project in a budget bill violated budget reconciliation rules and could not be included in the measure. (NYT.)

Three anti-ICE protesters are set to stand trial starting today on federal conspiracy charges stemming from a protest in Spokane, Wash. in June 2025. The acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington at the time, Richard Barker, chose to resign rather than pursue the charges following the demonstration. (NYT.)

Andrew McCarthy argued that the Department of Justice’s subpoenas targeting reporters over Iran-war leak reporting suggest that “the Trump DOJ is going to war with the press” and could test longstanding assumptions that the department serves as a responsible arbiter between national-security secrecy and press freedom. (National Review.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay. The Court heard oral argument on April 29, 2026.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe. The Court heard oral argument on April 29, 2026.

Judge Royce Lamberth (D.D.C.) on Thursday ordered government defendants to file a plan to comply with the portions of a March 17 order not stayed by the D.C. Circuit that required the restoration of Voice of America operations. (Order.) For background, see a prior Roundup.

A Justice Department lawyer on Thursday told Judge Carl Nichols (D.D.C.) that citizenship lists ordered by the Trump administration would likely provide an unreliable basis for states to determine voter eligibility. (NYT.)

A Department of Justice investigation on Thursday concluded that the Yale School of Medicine discriminated against white and Asian applicants. (Letter.) (WSJ.)

The House of Representatives on Thursday failed to advance an attempt to stop the Iran war, the first such attempt in the House since the War Powers Resolution’s 60-day deadline for congressional approval or the end of hostilities passed. (WaPo.) For background on a similar failed effort in the Senate on Wednesday, see a previous Roundup.

Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, stated in congressional testimony on Thursday that the February destruction of a school in Iran may have been caused by U.S. weapons but that he knew of no other civilian casualties caused by American strikes. Senators reacted to the claim with skepticism, the New York Times reports. (NYT.) For background, see a previous Roundup.

Pentagon officials on Thursday said that thousands of soldiers would not deploy to Poland as planned. (WaPo.)

CIA Director John Ratcliffe on Thursday met with Cuban officials in Havana to discuss the island’s engagement with the United States. (WSJ.)

The DOJ is attempting to denaturalize a former Marine due to a sex crime committed after he obtained citizenship. According to the New York Times, modern denaturalization over conduct occurring after naturalization is near unheard of, and a DOJ success could lower the bar for future denaturalization efforts. (NYT.)

The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly identified tens of thousands of green card holders to re-vet and review for deportability. (NYT.)

Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks, who had headed the agency since the beginning of the second Trump administration, resigned on Thursday. (WaPo.)

Jack Goldsmith argued that the Department of Defense’s likely imminent request for more Iran war funding “will be an important moment for Congress to weigh in on, and be accountable for, the scope and legitimacy of the war.” (Executive Functions.)

Kate Gilbert suggested that the recent DOJ Weaponization Working Group report’s “superficial thoroughness and its attempts to appear legitimate” may enable investigations and prosecutions of former DOJ officials. (Lawfare.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay. The Court heard oral argument on April 29, 2026.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe. The Court heard oral argument on April 29, 2026.

Judge Richard Leon (D.D.C.) on Wednesday issued a preliminary injunction blocking U.S. sanctions against United Nations official Francesca Albanese. The sanctions followed Albanese’s recommendation that the International Criminal Court pursue war-crimes investigations into Israeli officials. (Memorandum Opinion.) (Politico.)

Judge Richard Leon (D.D.C.) on Wednesday ordered the government to return a Colombian woman deported to the Democratic Republic of the Congo despite that country’s refusal to accept her. (Docket.) (NYT.)

Federal courts have now rejected the Trump administration’s immigration detention policy more than 10,000 times, according to a Politico analysis. (Politico.)

The Department of Justice on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the D.C. Bar Association stemming from the Bar’s recommendation that former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark be disbarred over efforts to overturn the 2020 election. (Complaint.) (WaPo.)

The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general has begun an investigation into a now-paused $38 billion program of purchasing warehouses and converting them into detention centers. (WSJ.)

Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday announced that the Trump administration would withhold $1.3 billion in Medicaid payments to California over alleged failures by the state to combat fraud in the program. (NYT.)

The Senate on Wednesday blocked a Democrat-led attempt to stop the Iran war. This is the first such attempt since the War Powers Resolution’s 60-day deadline for congressional approval or the end of hostilities passed. (WaPo.)

The White House is reportedly considering celebrating the country’s 250th birthday with 250 pardons. (WSJ.)

The chief spokesman for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. resigned on Wednesday in protest of recent efforts by senior HHS officials to seek “Food and Drug Administration marketing approval of e-cigarette flavors that would appeal to children.” (Letter.) (NYT.)

DHS General Counsel James Percival defended the department’s refusal to take down a website attacking a judge for ordering the release of an ICE detainee allegedly wanted for murder in the Dominican Republic, something that the government had not communicated to the judge. Percival argued that DHS did not need to inform the judge, Melissa DuBose (D.R.I.), of the arrest warrant since it was distinct from the “narrow legal question” in front of the court. (The Federalist.) See previous Roundups for background.

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay. The Court heard oral argument on April 29, 2026.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe. The Court heard oral argument on April 29, 2026.

The Office of Legal Counsel concluded in an opinion dated May 12 that section 303 of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 authorizes the Department of Justice to compel states to produce unredacted voter registration lists and that no other provision of law bars DOJ from sharing those lists with the Department of Homeland Security. (Memorandum Opinion.) A DOJ lawyer on Tuesday submitted the OLC opinion to the Sixth Circuit ahead of today’s oral argument in United States v. Benson, which concerns Michigan’s refusal to turn over voter registration data. (Additional Citation.)

The Eleventh Circuit on Tuesday denied rehearing in President Trump’s appeal from the dismissal of his civil RICO suit against Hillary Clinton, the Democratic National Committee, and others over alleged efforts to tie him to Russia during the 2016 election. (Order.) For background, see a previous Roundup.

According to the New York Times, DOJ officials are considering settling President Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over leaked tax returns. Terms under discussion reportedly include dropping IRS audits of Trump, his family members, and businesses. (NYT.) For background on the suit, see a previous Roundup.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine, and Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hurst appeared before the House and Senate subcommittees that oversee defense spending on Tuesday. Hurst told lawmakers the cost of the war with Iran has risen to roughly $29 billion. (CBS.)

The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday that David Venturella, a former career ICE official, would serve as the next acting director of ICE. Before rejoining the agency last year, Venturella worked as an executive at a private prison company. (NYT.) (WSJ.)

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary resigned on Tuesday, reportedly following months of clashes over policy with senior administration officials. President Trump announced that Kyle Diamantas, the deputy commissioner for food, will step in as acting FDA commissioner. (Truth Social.) (WSJ.)

President Trump late on Monday night shared a post on Truth Social calling for the arrest of former President Barack Obama, in addition to dozens of other posts attacking his political opponents and relitigating the 2020 election. (Truth Social.) (WaPo.)

PayPal agreed to waive roughly $30 million in transaction fees for certain small businesses to settle a DOJ probe into funding initiatives for minority-owned businesses. The fee waivers will apply to businesses owned by veterans or involved in farming, manufacturing, or technology. (WSJ.)

Jonathan Shaub, who previously served as attorney-adviser in OLC, argued that OLC’s recent opinion declaring the Presidential Records Act unconstitutional is “embarrassing” and inconsistent with decades of executive branch practice and Supreme Court precedent. (Lawfare.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.

Justice Alito on Monday extended an administrative stay blocking a Fifth Circuit order that had stayed the Food and Drug Administration’s Biden-era decision to allow mifepristone, a commonly used abortion pill, to be distributed by mail. The order extended until May 14 an earlier administrative stay that was set to expire Monday. (Order.) (WaPo.) (SCOTUSblog.) Adam Unikowsky argued that the Supreme Court should keep the stay in place while the litigation continues because Louisiana, the plaintiff in the case, lacks standing, and because the FDA’s decision was legal. (Unikowsky.)

The majority of a three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit on Monday held that immigrants arrested inside the United States after entering without inspection cannot generally be subjected to mandatory detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2)(A). The ruling aligns the court with the Second and Eleventh Circuits, which have rejected the Trump administration’s mandatory detention policy, while the Fifth and Eighth Circuits have upheld it and the Seventh Circuit declined to rule on the issue. (Opinion) (Politico.)

The Wall Street Journal reports that President Trump’s private complaints to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche over leaks related to the Iran war has prompted an aggressive Justice Department push to investigate leaks, including grand jury subpoenas seeking records from reporters and discussions with the Pentagon about leak probes. (WSJ.)

President Trump said Monday he intends to suspend the federal gas tax “until it’s appropriate.” The measure would require congressional approval. (NBC.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.

A three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit on Friday declined to stay a district court decision barring the Department of Homeland Security from implementing a seven-day notice requirement for members of Congress to visit ICE facilities. (Order.) (NYT.)

President Trump announced on Sunday that Iran’s latest proposal to end the war with the U.S. was “totally unacceptable.” (NYT.) (WaPo.)

President Trump is reportedly planning to fire Marty Makary, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration following clashes over vaping, abortion, and drug policy. (WSJ.) (NYT.) (WaPo.)

The Justice Department announced on Friday that it is seeking to revoke the citizenship of 12 immigrants alleged to have obtained naturalization through fraud or false testimony about past criminal acts. The individuals are “accused of serious offenses — including providing material support to a terrorist group, committing war crimes, and sexually abusing a minor.” (Press Release.) (NYT.)

The New York Times reports that the Trump administration used an urgent no-bid contracting exemption supposed to be used only to prevent “serious injury, financial or other, to the government” in order to award a $6.9 million contract to repaint and reseal the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool ahead of the country’s July 4 birthday party. (NYT.)

Energy Secretary Chis Wright said in an interview on Sunday that “this administration is in support of” every measure that could be taken to lower gas prices for Americans in response to a question about temporarily suspending the federal gas tax. (NYT.)

Justice Department lawyers told Judge Dabney Friedrich (D.D.C.) that they expected former President Joe Biden to seek to prevent the government from releasing roughly 70 hours of partially redacted audio recordings from his 2017 interviews with ghostwriter Marc Zwonitzer. The recordings, sought by the Heritage Foundation, were obtained during Special Counsel Robert Hur’s classified-documents investigation. (Joint Status Report.) (Politico.)

U.S. Southern Command announced that it conducted another boat strike against an alleged drug trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific on Friday, killing two individuals and leaving one survivor. SOUTHCOM said that it “immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivor.” (X.) (NYT.)

Scott Anderson argued that “the War Powers Resolution may yet serve as a limited constraint on the executive branch’s use of military force, in manners that may complicate the Trump administration’s attempts to close out the [Iran] war on terms of its own choosing.” (Lawfare.)

Adam Keith and Amanda Strayer argued that Congress should more closely scrutinize who the Trump administration is removing from the sanctions list and why. (Just Security.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade on Thursday struck down President Trump’s proclamation imposing a 10 percent across-the-board tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The majority granted summary judgment and a permanent injunction to importer plaintiffs Burlap and Barrel, Basic Fun, Inc., and the state of Washington, while dismissing the claims of the remaining states for lack of standing. (Judgment.) (NYT.) Ilya Somin explained that the “decision rests primarily on the ground that the government failed to prove that there is any balance-of-payment deficit of the kind required by the statute.” (Volokh Conspiracy.)

Judge Beryl A. Howell (D.D.C.) granted a motion to enforce her earlier preliminary injunction against warrantless immigration arrests in the District of Columbia. She held that a January 2026 ICE memorandum improperly defined “escape risk” and did not require officers to consider community ties before making warrantless arrests, contrary to her prior order. (Memorandum Opinion.) (NYT.) (WaPo.)

U.S. Central Command announced that “U.S. forces intercepted unprovoked attacks and responded with self defense strikes” as Navy destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. (X.) President Trump said that the ceasefire with Iran remains in place despite the attacks, telling reporters, “They trifled with us today. We blew them away.” (WaPo.)

The New York Times reports that Saudi Arabia denied the United States access to its airspace and bases for President Trump’s planned naval escort operation through the Strait of Hormuz, which forced the administration to abandon the effort less than 24 hours after it was announced. (NYT.)

Republican Rep. Tom Barrett on Thursday introduced a bill that would authorize military operations in Iran until the end of July and impose limits on the scope of the ongoing campaign. (Joint Resolution.) (NYT.)

News outlets reported that the D.C. Circuit appeared likely to rule against the government in its appeal of a lower court preliminary injunction barring the Defense Department from punishing Sen. Mark Kelly for his comments urging service members to disobey unlawful military orders. (NYT.) (The Hill.) (CNN.) For background on the district court’s ruling, see a prior Roundup.

Lawyers for alleged White House Correspondents’ Dinner gunman Cole Tomas Allen on Thursday moved to disqualify U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche from direct involvement in the prosecution of their client. The motion argues that the officials’ presence at the event and their subsequent public comments about the shooting create at least the appearance of a conflict of interest. (Motion.) (CNN.)

The Wall Street Journal reports that the White House is considering an executive order to create a formal oversight process for advanced AI models after Anthropic’s new Mythos model alarmed senior administration officials, including Vice President Vance. According to the Journal, the administration’s response has left some advisors “fearful that it represents a reversal on AI policy and an overreaction.” (WSJ.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.

The majority of a three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit on Wednesday ruled that immigrants arrested inside the United States after entering without inspection are generally eligible for bond hearings and rejected the government’s argument that they must be subject to mandatory detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2)(A). (Opinion.) (Politico.)

Judge J.P Boulee (N.D. Ga.) on Wednesday denied Fulton County officials’ bid to force the FBI to return more than 600 boxes of 2020 election records seized pursuant to a January search warrant tied to a federal investigation into alleged election irregularities. (Order.) (NYT.)

The Department of Justice said Tuesday that it will ask the Supreme Court to allow the United States to substitute for President Trump in his appeal of the jury verdict against him in a defamation suit brought by E. Jean Carroll. In a filing supporting President Trump’s request to stay the Second Circuit’s mandate, DOJ said it plans to seek certiorari over the court’s refusal to substitute the United States as the defendant under the Westfall Act. Politico notes that the move, if successful, “would doom Carroll’s case” because the federal government cannot be sued for defamation. (Joinder.) (Politico.)

The Justice Department on Wednesday sued Colorado in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado over a 2013 gun-control law that prohibits the sale, transfer, or possession of a “large-capacity magazine” in the state. The complaint alleges that the magazine ban violates the Second Amendment. (Complaint.) (NYT.) On Tuesday, the government filed a Second Amendment lawsuit against Denver and the Denver Police Department over a 1989 city ordinance banning “assault weapons” within the municipality. (Complaint.)

The head of DOJ’s Civil Rights Division announced on Wednesday that a Title VI investigation found that the medical school at U.C.L.A. had illegally “discriminated against other applicants to benefit preferred race classes of Black and Hispanic” in its admissions process. (Notification.) (NYT.)

According to MS NOW, the FBI has reportedly opened a leak investigation that focuses on Sarah Fitzpatrick, the Atlantic staff writer who reported on concerns among bureau employees about Director Kash Patel’s excessive drinking and erratic behavior. A spokesperson for the FBI denied the reporting. (MSNOW.) (The Atlantic.)

The FBI on Wednesday searched the offices of state Sen. L. Louise Lucas, the Democratic president pro tempore of the Virginia Senate, in addition to a cannabis retail business co-owned by the lawmaker. Sources reportedly told the Washington Post and the New York Times the raids took place as part of a corruption investigation opened during the Biden administration. Lucas suggested the investigation was politically motivated. (NYT.) (WaPo.) (WSJ.)

Politico reports that the Department of Homeland Security is abandoning its streamlined training for new ICE agents and plans to dispatch veteran federal immigration officers to provide recent hires who completed the fast-track program with additional instruction. (Politico.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.

The majority of a three-judge Seventh Circuit panel affirmed a district court’s Oct. 7 extension of a 2022 consent decree limiting ICE’s use of warrantless immigration arrests in the Chicago field office and affirmed in part and reversed in part the court’s Nov. 13 order requiring the release of detainees arrested in violation of the consent decree or whose arrests “potentially” violated 8 U.S.C. § 1357(a)(2). On the issue of whether immigrants arrested without warrants are categorically subject to mandatory detention without bond hearings, Judge John Z. Lee rejected the Trump administration’s position, Judge Thomas Kirsch endorsed it, and Judge Doris Pryor declined to reach the merits of the question. (Opinion.) (Politico.)

Judge Melissa DuBose (D.R.I.) said on Tuesday that she would refer Justice Department lawyer Kevin M. Bolan for possible disciplinary proceedings after he acknowledged withholding information about an ICE detainee’s alleged criminal history in the Dominican Republic. (NYT.) See yesterday’s Roundup for background.

A federal grand jury in D.C. on Tuesday indicted Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused of storming a security checkpoint outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner with a shotgun, on four counts. He is charged with attempted assassination of President Trump and other firearms offenses. (Indictment.) (WaPo.)

President Trump on Tuesday said that he has paused Project Freedom, the U.S. effort to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz, to see if the United States and Iran can finalize a “Complete and Final Agreement” to end the war. (Truth Social.) (CBS.)

The Commerce Department on Tuesday announced agreements with Google, Microsoft, and xAI to provide the government with prerelease access to frontier AI models for security testing. (Press Release.) (WaPo.) Dean W. Ball and Kevin Frazier discussed how the Trump administration could pursue a voluntary prerelease AI testing regime despite likely lacking authority to mandate frontier model vetting. (Lawfare.)

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a civil rights lawsuit against the New York Times in the U.S. District for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday. The EEOC alleged that the Times had discriminated against a white male employee by denying him a promotion on the basis of race or sex. (Press Release.) (NYT.)

The Education Department has opened an investigation into Smith College, an all-women’s school in Massachusetts, to determine whether it violated Title IX by allowing transgender students to enroll. (Press Release.) (NYT.)

Senate Republicans included $1 billion for White House security upgrades tied to President Trump’s “East Wing Modernization Project” in the immigration bill released on Monday. The text states that the funds cannot be used for “non-security elements” of the project. (WaPo.)

U.S. Southern Command announced on Tuesday that it had struck another alleged drug vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing three people. (X.) (NYT.)

The Wall Street Journal reports that over the weekend, President Trump “upbraided Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary for not moving quickly enough to approve flavored vapes and nicotine products.” (WSJ.)

Tess Bridgeman and Brian Finucacane argued that the Trump administration’s claim that the War Powers Resolution’s 60-day clock stopped because of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire “is even more unconvincing than attempts by President Donald Trump’s predecessors to circumvent the 60-day clock.” (Just Security.)

George Packer examined how venture capitalist and former White House AI and crypto adviser David Sacks helped align Silicon Valley’s “tech right” with the Trump administration while advancing deregulatory policies on AI and cryptocurrency. (The Atlantic.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.

Judge Anthony J. Trenga (E.D. Va.) on Monday overruled the government’s objections and affirmed a magistrate judge’s ruling that the court, rather than the Justice Department, must review materials seized from Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson to protect First Amendment and statutory press safeguards in a leak investigation. (Memorandum Opinion and Order.) (WaPo.) For background on the case, see prior Roundups.

Judge Michael Maddox (D. Md.) at a hearing on Monday ordered the pretrial release of Aurelio Perez-Lugones, the government contractor charged with leaking classified information to Natanson, and set trial for Feb. 22. (Docket.) (Politico.)

Judge Melissa DuBose (D.R.I.) said at a hearing Monday that she is weighing whether to hold officials from the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of Justice in contempt of court after DHS issued a “patently false” press release alleging that she knowingly released an ICE detainee wanted for murder in the Dominican Republic. A lawyer for DOJ submitted a statement apologizing for failing to disclose information regarding the detainee’s criminal history. (Response to Order to Show Cause.) (Politico.)

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said today that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire “is not over,” despite exchanges of fire between Iranian and American forces in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. He also stated that Project Freedom, the U.S. operation to guide commercial vessels through the strait, is “separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury.” (CBS.)

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro will not appeal a ruling by Judge James Boasberg (D.D.C.) quashing subpoenas to the Federal Reserve. Her office on Monday instead asked the court to vacate its prior decisions, as the department has now closed its investigation into the Fed and Chairman Jerome Powell. (Motion.) (WaPo.)

The Justice Department is seeking the identities of every election staffer and volunteer poll worker who helped administer the November 2020 election in Fulton County, Ga. The demand was disclosed on Monday when lawyers for the county filed a motion to quash a grand jury subpoena seeking the information. (ABC.) (NYT.)

U.S. Southern Command announced it struck another boat allegedly engaged in drug trafficking operations in the Caribbean Sea on Monday, killing two men. The strike brings the death toll of the boat striking campaign to at least 187. (NYT.)

Bob Bauer argued that the risk of expanding presidential power should guide the debate over Supreme Court reform and cautioned that Court expansion could strengthen the executive. (Executive Functions.)

Jim W. Ko and Jonathan Stroud argued that the Trump administration is reshaping AI governance through “managed federalism,” using executive coordination and funding leverage to influence state regulation without congressional action. (Lawfare.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.

President Donald Trump told Congress in a letter sent “consistent with the War Powers Resolution” on Friday that hostilities with Iran “have terminated” following the April 7 ceasefire. The WPR’s 60-day deadline to end the conflict or seek congressional authorization was set to fall Friday. (Letter.) (NYT.) Andrew McCarthy argued that the 60-day clock “cannot be suspended by pretending there is a ‘cease-fire’ even as our forces impose a blockade on the enemy.” (National Review.) Jack Goldsmith argued that the administration’s interpretation of the WPR was “wrong but not crazy.” (Executive Functions.)

President Trump on Sunday announced “Project Freedom,” a plan for the U.S. military to “guide” stranded ships through the Strait of Hormuz. He warned that any “interference” with the process “will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.” (Truth Social.) (TIME.) U.S. Central Command stated that 15,000 service members will support the operation, which began today. (X.)

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro suggested in an interview on Sunday that if an ongoing probe by the Federal Reserve’s inspector general uncovers malfeasance related to Fed building renovations, her office may again pursue a case against Fed Chair Jerome Powell. (NYT.) (CNN.)

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department will not broadly prosecute people who post the “86 47” message despite charging former FBI Firector James Comey over a photo containing the phrase. He stated that Comey’s case is different because of additional, undisclosed evidence gathered during an 11-month investigation. (NYT.) Bill Shipley argued that the new indictment against Comey “is likely to survive pretrial attempts to get it dismissed on the merits.” (Shipwreckedcrew.)

An Associated Press review of court records found a “pattern of defiance of lower court decisions” in President Trump’s second term, with federal judges citing violations in at least 31 cases spanning immigration, spending, and policy changes. (AP.)

The Defense Department announced on Friday that it will withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany following a clash between Germany’s chancellor and President Trump regarding the war in Iran. (NYT.)

A federal grand jury in California indicted Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, a Salvadorian national shot multiple times by ICE agents during a traffic stop on April 7, on assault charges. Prosecutors allege Hernandez rammed his vehicle into two officers during an attempted arrest. (Press Release.) (NYT.)

President Trump on Friday signed an executive order imposing new sanctions on Cuban officials. (Fact Sheet.)

William Baude wrote about abuse of power in the second Trump administration. (SSRN.)

Quinta Jurecic argued that the Department of Justice under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche “is entering a hyperaggressive new era.” (The Atlantic.)

Cullen O’Keefe, Alan Rozenshtein, and Christoph Winter presented a research agenda to examine “risks to the rule of law from the use of frontier AI systems in the executive branch.” (Lawfare.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth contended Thursday in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee that the president is not required to seek congressional authorization under the War Powers Resolution to continue the military campaign in Iran because a ceasefire “pauses, or stops” the 60-day clock. President Trump formally notified Congress of the operation on March 2, meaning the 60-day deadline would otherwise expire today. (NYT.) (WaPo.) (WSJ.)

The Senate on Thursday blocked Democrats’ sixth attempt to advance a war powers resolution to limit President Trump’s authority to continue the military campaign in Iran. (CBS.)

CNN reported that expenses to repair U.S. military bases in the Middle East will likely bring the real cost to date of American military operations in Iran to between $40 and $50 billion. The Pentagon’s top financial officer told lawmakers on Wednesday that the U.S. has spent $25 billion since the conflict began in February. (CNN.)

The House of Representatives on Thursday voted to approve a Senate-passed bill to fund the bulk of the Department of Homeland Security. The bill, now headed to President Trump’s desk, will fund all of DHS with the exception of Border Patrol and ICE. Republican lawmakers plan to fund those agencies through the reconciliation process, which does not require Democratic support. (WaPo.)

Congress on Thursday passed another short-term extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which authorizes the intelligence community to collect without a warrant communications of foreigners abroad, even if those subjects are interacting with Americans. (NYT.) (WaPo.)

The Justice Department on Thursday released a 197-page report detailing how the “Biden Administration’s policies regularly clashed with a Christian worldview and burdened traditional religious practices.” The report was published by the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias pursuant to a presidential executive order. (Report.) (NYT.)

President Trump on Thursday announced his latest pick for surgeon general, marking the president’s third attempt to fill the post of America’s top doctor. The confirmation of his previous pick stalled due to opposition, including some Republican lawmakers, over her views on vaccines and wellness. (WaPo.) (NYT.)

Andrew C. McCarthy argued that President Trump’s use of the legal system to go after political opponents is weakening rather than accelerating his agenda, as illustrated by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s decision to remain on the Fed’s board for the foreseeable future. (National Review.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.

News outlets reported that the Supreme Court “appeared closely divided” over the Trump administration’s efforts to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian nationals during oral argument on Wednesday. (Transcript.) (NYT.) (WSJ.)

Federal prosecutors in Illinois on Wednesday dropped felony conspiracy charges against protestors involved in a demonstration outside an ICE facility in the Chicago area last September. The prosecutors indicated they will proceed with a case on misdemeanor counts of impeding a federal agent against four of the six individuals formerly charged. (Notification of Docket Entry.) (NYT.)

According to the Wall Street Journal, the White House opposes a plan from Anthropic to expand access to its powerful new model, Mythos, to an additional 70 companies and organizations. (WSJ.)

In an indictment unsealed on Wednesday, prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York alleged that a Mexican governor and nine other current and former Mexican officials conspired to import drugs into the United States by assisting the Sinaloa cartel in exchange for bribes. (Indictment.) (NYT.)

House Republicans on Wednesday narrowly passed a budget plan enabling up to $70 billion in new funding for ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection through the reconciliation process, which allows certain fiscal legislation to pass the Senate with a simple majority. (NYT.)

The Justice Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives announced Wednesday a set of 34 regulatory changes to roll back federal gun restrictions following a review directed by an executive order entitled “Protecting Second Amendment Rights.” (Press Release.) (NYT.)

Eric Columbus and Molly Roberts argued the case involving President Trump’s ballroom project “may test just how far national security deference by the courts to the executive can stretch.” (Lawfare.)

Andrew McCarthy wrote that the new indictment against James Comey, if it results in conviction, “would eradicate the people’s First Amendment right to free political expression.” (National Review.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.

A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit on Tuesday granted the Defense Department’s request for a stay pending appeal of an April 9 district court order “to the extent that it entitles journalists to access the Pentagon unescorted.” The ruling leaves other parts of the district court’s order in place. (Order.) (WSJ.) For background on the case challenging Pentagon press restrictions, see a previous Roundup.

A grand jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina on Tuesday indicted former FBI Director James Comey on two counts for allegedly threatening President Trump. The charges stem from a photo he posted to Instagram depicting seashells arranged to read “86 47,” which prosecutors claim represented “a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States.” (Indictment.) (NYT.) (WaPo.) (WSJ.) Eugene Volokh analyzed the indictment and argued that “it is not reasonable to interpret Comey’s post as a true threat.” (Volokh Conspiracy.)

Judge Jesse M. Furman (S.D.N.Y.) ruled Tuesday that former prosecutor Maurene Comey can pursue her wrongful-termination suit in federal court, rejecting the Justice Department’s effort to route the case to the Merit Systems Protection Board. Judge Furman held that because Comey “was fired pursuant to Article II of the Constitution,” rather than the Civil Service Reform Act, her claims fall “outside the universe of cases that Congress intended the MSPB to resolve.” (Opinion and Order.) (Politico.)

The Justice Department on Tuesday announced that a grand jury indicted David M. Morens, a former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases official, on charges including conspiracy and destruction and concealment of federal records related to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Indictment.) (WSJ.)

The Southern Poverty Law Center filed a motion Tuesday in the Middle District of Alabama seeking to compel the government to retract allegedly false statements made by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and refrain from making further false or otherwise prejudicial public comments about the center. (Motion.) (NYT.) For background on DOJ’s indictment of the SPLC, see the Roundup Library.

The Supreme Court today heard consolidated oral arguments in Mullin v. Doe and Trump v. Miot, which challenge the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian nationals. (Livestream.) (NYT). Adam Unikowsky presented a mock debate to illustrate the questions at issue. (Adam’s Legal Newsletter).

The New York Times reports that the Department of Education “resolved roughly 30 percent fewer complaints of discrimination in American schools last year than in 2024, the sharpest year-to-year decline in more than three decades.” (NYT.)

According to Sen. Jeff Merkley, the Government Accountability Office has agreed to examine the Justice Department’s handling of the release of the Epstein files. The GAO told lawmakers that it will coordinate with the DOJ inspector general, which is also investigating the matter, to avoid duplication. (WaPo.)

Scott Levy argued that the breadth of executive discretion during government shutdowns weakens congressional leverage. (Lawfare.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.

A three-judge panel of the the Second Circuit today ruled that noncitizens already present in the United States are not subject to mandatory detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2)(A) and affirmed a district court’s grant of habeas relief to a Brazilian national who was detained in September 2025 after living in the United States for two decades. The decision creates a circuit split, putting the Second Circuit at odds with the Fifth and Eighth Circuits, which have each upheld the Trump administration’s detention policy. (Opinion.) (Politico.)

Prosecutors on Monday charged Cole Tomas Allen, the suspected gunman at the White House Correspondent’s dinner, with attempted assassination of the president and federal firearms charges. Allen made his initial appearance in the District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday and did not enter a plea. (Complaint.) (Affidavit.) (NYT.)

Citing Saturday’s attempted assassination, Acting Attorney Todd Blanche and two senior Department of Justice officials on Monday filed a motion in the District Court for the District of Columbia for an indicative ruling dissolving the court’s injunction of the proposed White House ballroom. (Motion.) The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the plaintiff in the case, indicated that it would oppose the motion in an April 26 letter to DOJ and maintained that despite “Saturday’s awful event,” the president cannot construct a ballroom on White House grounds without congressional authorization. (WaPo.)

Judge Gerald J. Pappert (E.D. Penn.) on Monday granted the University of Pennsylvania’s motion to stay his order requiring the university to comply by May 1 with a subpoena from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission seeking information related to alleged antisemitic harassment of Jewish employees. The stay will remain in effect until the Third Circuit issues its decision and mandate in the university’s appeal. (Order.) (Memorandum.) (NYT.)

According to the New York Times, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under Chair Andrea Lucas has pressured staff to prioritize and fast-track discrimination cases “that fit the Trump administration’s priorities” and “that have little evidence and tenuous legal bases.” (NYT.)

Politico reports that Todd Blanche could lead the Justice Department for months without Senate confirmation, as legal ambiguity over federal vacancy and succession laws may allow him to remain in an acting role beyond the 210-day limit imposed by the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. (Politico.)

Two senior administration officials reportedly told the Atlantic that Vice President J.D. Vance has repeatedly questioned the accuracy of information from the Defense Department regarding the Iran war and expressed concerns about depleted weapons stockpiles in discussions with President Trump. (The Atlantic.)

Erwin Chemerinsky argued that if the Iran war continues through Friday without congressional authorization, the war will clearly be illegal and that the federal judiciary should enforce the law. (NYT.)

Peter Harrell wrote that “Trump’s recent Section 232 tariff actions push the legal boundaries of the statute and should face greater legal and congressional scrutiny.” (Lawfare.)

Matteo Wong and Lila Shroff examined scenarios in which the Trump administration could assert control over AI companies, from full to “soft” nationalization. (The Atlantic.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.

A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit on Friday upheld a district court ruling that President Trump cannot use a presidential proclamation to bypass the Immigration and Nationality Act’s removal procedures or categorically bar asylum claims by people arriving at the southern border. Writing for the majority, Judge J. Michelle Childs concluded that “the INA’s text, structure, and history make clear that in supplying power to suspend entry by Presidential proclamation, Congress did not intend to grant the Executive the expansive removal authority it asserts.” (Opinion.) (NYT.)

A three-judge panel of the Board of Immigration Appeals on Friday held that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status alone does not justify terminating removal proceedings. The panel remanded the case and ordered it transferred to a different immigration judge. (Interim Decision.) (NPR.)

Federal authorities are reportedly investigating a note left by the man suspected of attempting an attack at the White House correspondent’s dinner on Saturday, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen. According to the New York Times, the writing expresses anger at the Trump administration and indicates that senior officials were intended targets. (NYT.) Citing the attack on Saturday evening, President Trump and top Justice Department officials pushed for accelerated construction of the proposed White House ballroom, which they said was needed for presidential security. (Truth Social.) (X.) (NYT.) (WaPo.)

The Justice Department said on Friday it will resume federal executions using lethal injection and authorize additional methods, including firing squads, as part of a broader effort to expand the use of the death penalty. (Press Release.) (Report.) (NYT.) Chris Geidner discussed the report accompanying the department’s announcement. (Law Dork.)

Two nonprofit groups on Friday sued the Trump administration in the District of Columbia over an April 2 internal White House directive entitled “Records Retention Policy After Office of Legal Counsel Finding that the presidential Records Act is Unconstitutional.” The lawsuit, brought against President Trump in his official capacity, challenges the policy as unlawfully weakening federal recordkeeping obligations mandated by Congress. (Complaint.) (NYT.) For background on the OLC opinion and another lawsuit brought against it, see Jack Goldsmith’s chat with Marty Lederman. (Executive Functions.)

U.S. Southern Command on Friday conducted another strike on an alleged drug vessel in the Eastern Pacific, killing two. (X.) (NYT.)

President Trump on Friday reportedly ousted multiple members of the National Science Board, an independent body overseeing the National Science Foundation. (WaPo.)

Bob Bauer argued that FBI Director Kash Patel’s libel lawsuits seem to run afoul of the Department of Justice’s ethical standards, concluding that “Patel’s use of private legal action in these circumstances is appropriate for DOJ inspector general review.” (Executive Functions.)

Andrew Weissman critiqued the DOJ’s indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center. (Just Security.)

Michael W. McConnell argued that many of the Supreme Court’s interim docket decisions “are subject to legitimate criticism, but the wholesale condemnation of the practice is misguided.” (WaPo.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced today that her office will close its criminal investigation into the Federal Reserve and Fed Chair Jerome Powell. She stated that the central bank’s inspector general “has been asked to scrutinize the building costs overruns” and said that she “will not hesitate to restart a criminal investigation should the facts warrant doing so.” (X.) (WSJ.)

The Department of Justice’s inspector general has opened an investigation into the government’s handling of Epstein files. The IG, William M. Blier, said in a statement that his “preliminary objective is to evaluate the DOJ’s processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing records in its possession” as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. (WSJ.)

Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York charged a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier involved in the operation to capture Nicolas Maduro with using classified information to place bets on a prediction market. The indictment alleges that the soldier netted “more than $400,000 in illegal profits” and subsequently attempted to conceal the proceeds. (Indictment.) (WSJ.)

The Justice Department has reportedly identified at least 384 naturalized citizens for potential denaturalization and plans to assign those cases to prosecutors across 39 U.S. attorneys offices. (NYT.)

The Pentagon announced on Thursday that “U.S. forces carried out a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding” of a sanctioned vessel carrying oil from Iran in the Indian Ocean. It is the second such tanker seized by the U.S. military in the region this week. (NYT.)

The Justice Department announced on Thursday it will reclassify F.D.A.-approved marijuana and state-regulated marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug. The action came days after Trump publicly complained that the department had not moved quickly enough to implement his December executive order on rescheduling to increase medical marijuana research. (NYT.)

President Trump said on Thursday he has started a renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool using a contractor he knows from his years in real estate. (NYT.)

William Baude and Richard Re argued that criticisms of the Supreme Court’s Clean Power Plan memos conflate distinct doctrines on irreparable harm and overstate claims that the Chief Justice applied the wrong standard of review. (Divided Argument.)

Steve Vladeck contended that pushback on the New York Times’ Clean Power Plan scoop overlooks evidence that the Court applies its interim docket standards inconsistently, often favoring Republican administrations over Democratic ones. (One First.)

Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court

Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.

Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.

Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.

Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.