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Judge Aileen M. Cannon (S.D. Fla.) on Monday permanently barred the Justice Department from releasing Volume II of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s final Mar-a-Lago report but declined to order destruction of the report. (Order.) (NYT.) For background, see a previous Roundup.
A new class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine alleges that the Department of Homeland Security is unlawfully retaliating against residents who observe and record federal immigration operations. The suit claims that DHS is “leveraging the government’s significant surveillance capabilities to collect and track personal information about observers and other protesters,” and in some cases using these surveillance tools to “threaten and harass Mainers.” (Complaint.) (Politico.) The named plaintiffs have moved for a temporary restraining order to address actions taken against them individually, while signaling their intent to seek classwide relief later. (Motion.) (Law Dork.)
A former ICE lawyer who worked at the federal government’s law enforcement training academy on Monday told congressional Democrats that ICE’s instruction program for new recruits was “deficient, defective, and broken,” adding that “even in the final days of training, the cadets cannot demonstrate a solid grasp of the tactics or the law required to perform their jobs.” (NYT.)
A New York Times review found that since August, federal district and magistrate judges have issued at least 35 orders requiring the government to explain why it should not be held in contempt for violating court orders in immigration cases. (NYT.)
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration is considering new national security tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. The potential measures could target half a dozen industries. (WSJ.)
After news outlets reported that Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, expressed concerns regarding any major operation against Iran, President Trump wrote on Truth Social that stories claiming Caine was against going to war with Iran were “100% incorrect.” The president added that while Caine would not like to see a war, “it is his opinion that it will be something easily won”—a claim that contradicted what sources told the Washington Post and the New York Times. (WaPo.) (NYT.)
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a case brought by Exxon Mobil and Suncor that will determine whether states and cities can sue fossil fuel companies in state court for climate change harms. The Trump administration had urged the justices to take up the case in an amicus brief supporting the petitioners. (WaPo.)
U.S. Southern Command announced on Monday that it conducted another strike on a boat allegedly engaged in drug trafficking operations in the Caribbean, killing three. (X.)
Pentagon officials have reportedly summoned Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to Washington amid a dispute over how the company’s AI can be used on classified military systems. (NYT.) For background, see a previous Roundup.
Joshua Orta, the only passenger in the car when an ICE officer fatally shot an American citizen in South Texas last year, died in an unrelated car crash on Saturday. According to the New York Times, Orta had planned to provide testimony contradicting the government’s account of the shooting and it is unclear how his death will affect the investigation. (NYT.)
Jack Goldsmith spoke with Matthew Seligman about tariff refunds following the Court’s ruling in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump. (Executive Functions.)
Steve Vladeck discussed the exchange between Justices Gorsuch and Kagan in Learning Resources. (One First.)
Kathleen Claussen examined alternate tariff authorities available to the president. (Just Security.)
Ilya Somin warned that broad judicial deference to emergency claims could turn other tariff authorities into a “blank check.” (The Dispatch.)
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.