In the past 24 hours, federal judges nationwide have stalled and blocked most of Trump’s moves. The rulings came within hours around Trump calling for the impeachment of a federal judge who ruled against his deportation plans.
Let’s cover some of this fantastic news together:
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Maryland ruled that Elon Musk and his DOGE department more than likely violated the Constitution in “multiple ways”.
Judge Chuang’s order indefinitely blocked DOGE from taking action regarding USAID without the signed permission of an official with legal authority.
Judge Chuang ordered the reinstatement of email and computer access of USAID employees, along with those placed on administrative leave.
On the same day, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington, D.C. ruled that Trump’s attempt to wipe out transgender troops from military services is also likely in violation of the Constitution.
"The cruel irony is that thousands of transgender servicemembers have sacrificed—some risking their lives—to ensure for others the very equal protection rights the Military Ban seeks to deny them," Judge Reyes wrote.
After this ruling, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkin in Washington, D.C., blocked Trump from ending $14 billion in grants given to three climate change groups. The Environment Protection Agency had frozen the grants while accusing the three non-profits of “mismanagement and fraud.”
U.S. District Judge Julie Rubin in Maryland ordered Trump to restore some of the education grants they terminated as part of the anti-DEI movement he made. She also ordered the administration to stop future cuts to grants.
These moves have a "grave effect on the public: fewer teachers for students in high-need neighborhoods, early childhood education, and special education programs," Judge Rubin wrote.
New York U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman rejected the Trump administration's request to dismiss a lawsuit by Mahmoud Khalil, who was a Columbia University student organizer and detained by ICE despite holding a green card.
So what does this mean?
The Trump administration can always appeal and challenge these rulings, but it still gives us hope that federal judges nationwide are aware of Trump’s moves and working hard to block them.
The fight is not over, and it’s tough to tell which will stick and which will not. We still need to watch this and gain hope because it is hopeful.
To give you an idea of how bad this is getting, conservative SCOTUS member John Roberts publicly spoke out after Donald Trump made multiple moves in a statement he released.
The statement was released after Donald Trump urged the removal of Judge James Boasberg, who put a temporary restraining order on Saturday to prevent the deportation of men that Trump thinks are “members of a Venezuelan street gang”.
"For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.” Judge Boasberg said.
Wrapping it up…
The past 24 hours have demonstrated the power of the judicial system to check the actions of the Trump administration. Federal judges have stepped in to block several of his controversial moves, including those targeting transgender military personnel, climate change funding, and education grants.
While these rulings are encouraging, they are not the final word, as the Trump administration may appeal and continue to challenge these decisions. Nonetheless, the swift response from judges nationwide signals a commitment to upholding constitutional rights and holding the administration accountable.
As the battle continues, it is essential to remain vigilant and hopeful, recognizing the judiciary’s importance in safeguarding the public and protecting the rule of law.
The statement you quote about “two centuries” of response to judicial decisions being to appeal, I believe was submitted by SCOTUS Justice John Roberts about the call to impeach Judge Boasberg, not attributable to Boasberg.
Thank you for your updates and your words.