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Judge Richard J. Leon (D.D.C.) on Thursday preliminarily enjoined Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other Defense Department officials from punishing Sen. Mark Kelly for his comments urging service members to disobey unlawful military orders. “Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly’s First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees,” Judge Leon wrote. (Opinion.) (Order.) (WSJ.) For background on Kelly’s lawsuit, see a prior Roundup.
The Department of Justice on Thursday moved to drop criminal charges against two men, one of whom was shot by an ICE agent, who were accused of violently attacking immigration authorities in Minneapolis. U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Daniel N. Rosen wrote in the filing that “newly discovered evidence in this matter is materially inconsistent with the allegations in the Complaint Affidavit.” (Motion.) (NYT.)
Judge Nancy E. Brasel (D. Minn.) on Thursday issued a temporary restraining order requiring ICE to provide detainees at a Minnesota holding facility with prompt access to counsel after finding that the government has “isolated” thousands of detainees from their attorneys. (Order.) (Politico.)
Judge James Boasberg (D.D.C.) on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to “facilitate the return” of Venezuelan men unlawfully deported under the Alien Enemies Act who are currently in foreign countries other than Venezuela. (Opinion and Order.) (NYT.) For background on the case, see the Roundup Library.
Judge Manish S. Shah (N.D. Ill..) on Thursday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from suspending $600 million in health funds to four states. (Order.) (NYT.) For background on the case, see yesterday’s Roundup.
Border czar Tom Homan announced on Thursday that the Trump administration is ending its immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. He said the administration had achieved its goals, making more than 4,000 arrests. (WSJ.)
Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, saying it did not include strong enough restrictions on immigration enforcement. (WSJ.)
The New York Times reported that a whistle-blower complaint filed in May by a U.S. intelligence official accused Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard of improperly withholding a report from the wider intelligence community regarding an intercepted communication between foreign nationals discussing Iran that referenced President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. (NYT.)
The Trump administration on Thursday repealed a 2009 scientific finding that forms the legal basis for the Environmental Protection Agency’s climate regulations. (NYT.)
Bob Bauer proposed reviving and revising the institution of a statutory special counsel to restrict the Justice Department from prosecuting sitting members of Congress. (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.