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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.