Decisions are listed in order by most recent rulings under each category. Supreme Court decisions are listed first since SCOTUS has the final decision on every issue. Lower court rulings follow.
SCOTUS
So far the Court has sided with Trump 23 times. (NBC)
The Supreme Court isn’t even pretending to be fair and impartial. Today, on the Supreme Court’s shadow docket, the Court put a hold on a district court order that stopped the ICE raids in Los Angeles. Brett Kavanaugh wrote a separate opinion saying that ICE agents could basically racially profile brown people. (They can arrest anyone with an accent, speaks Spanish, works day laborer jobs, gather at Home Depot looking for work, etc.) Sonia Sotomayor wrote a blistering dissent stating that “‘We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low wage job. Rather than stand idly by while our constitutional freedoms are lost, I dissent.’” (Politico)
CJ John Roberts allowed the Trump administration to fire Rebeccah Slaughter, an FTC Commissioner, putting a pause on a lower court decision that ruled that the fired FTC Commissioner must be returned to her job. Under Humphrey’s, the President can only fire Commissioners for “cause.” Based on past cases and opinions, the Supreme Court will more than likely overrule Humprey’s this upcoming term.
The Supreme Court overruled, on their shadow docket (emergency docket), a lower court order which stayed research funding cuts the administration put into effect at the National Institutes of Health (the Administration stated the research funds were related to DEI). The Court ruled the cuts could begin but suits to stay further cuts had to go to the Federal Claims Court. The decision was 5-4, with the Chief Justice siding with the liberal justices. Kentanji Brown Jackson wrote a scathing dissent, saying that this was “Calvinball jurisprudence.” ( Calvinball is a game from the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip where you make up the rules as you go along.) (The Guardian)
Lower courts
“Trump is trying to oust Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor appointed by former President Joe Biden, over allegations of mortgage fraud. A federal judge heard a legal challenge to the firing on Friday but didn’t issue a ruling, meaning Cook remains in place for now.” (Punchbowl News)
A federal district judge threw out a lawsuit against the entire Maryland federal bench. The lawsuit was filed because the chief judge of the Maryland district court halted deportations of migrants until they could have their habeas corpus petitions heard. (a habeas corpus petition is a challenge to the legality of the migrant’s detention.) (PBS)
A federal judge ruled that Kari Lake, who was appointed as a special advisor to the organization in charge of Voice of America, cannot fire its director. The administration plans to appeal. (NPR)
The far right Fifth Circuit ruled that the structure of the National Labor Relations Board was “likely” unconstitutional (the members of the NLRB could only be removed for “cause.” The Court found this was a limitation on executive power.) The NLRB
“protects the rights of private-sector employees and employers by investigating and prosecuting unfair labor practices, conducting union representation elections, and enforcing the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).” (National Law Review)
Alina Habba, Trump’s personal attorney, appointed as a US Attorney for the District of New Jersey, has been ruled illegal. She was appointed on an interim basis (can only hold the office for 120 days) and then reappointed when judges of the US District of New Jersey appointed her Deputy as the US Attorney. Bondi fired the Deputy and appointed Habba as the Special Attorney. The judge, finding her appointment illegal, wrote that all these maneuvers were illegal, especially as the Senate has not weighed in on her appointment. (NBC)
A New York appeals court threw out the $527M fine lodged against Trump for fraudulent business practices. The five judge panel did not agree on much other than that the fine was “excessive.” They also agreed on barring Trump from serving on any corporation for 3 years in the state of New York and barred his sons for 2 years. (CBS)
Education
A US District judge invalidated the Trump administration’s freeze of $2.2 billion dollars of research funding. The administration said it did it because of antisemitism that Harvard tolerated on campus. The judge said this was a ruse as the administration froze the funds when Harvard would not give control over classes, and hiring and admission decisions to the federal government. (The Hill) “The Trump administration’s cancellation of Harvard funding is ruled illegal. Judge Allison Burroughs of the U.S. District Court in Boston agreed with the university’s claim that the government had compromised its First Amendment and due process rights when it sought to freeze billions of dollars in research funds in the name of fighting antisemitism.” (DealBook)
A federal District Court judge struck down the Education Department’s Anti-DEI guidance. The judge ruled that it discriminated against viewpoint based speech and used vague language. [it is unconstitutional to ban speech based on viewpoint and the law, or guidance in this case, cannot be so vague as the individual has to guess what it means.] (Higher Ed Dive)
A federal district court issued an injunction of a Texas law which required the Ten Commandments be displayed in elementary and high schools. The judge stated it likely violated the Establishment and Free Exercise clause of the First Amendment. “‘[T]he displays are likely to pressure the child-Plaintiffs into religious observance, meditation on, veneration, and adoption of the State’s favored religious scripture, and into suppressing expression of their own religious or nonreligious background and beliefs while at school,’ Biery stated.” (CBS)
Immigration
“As of September 2025, the situation for TPS in Venezuela and Haiti is complex due to recent court rulings and government announcements. A federal judge ruled the Trump administration’s attempts to strip TPS from both countries were unlawful. Therefore, Venezuela’s 2021 TPS designation remains in effect until November 7, 2025, while Haiti’s TPS is valid until February 3, 2026.” (Gemini), (UCLA Law), (NPR), (CNN)
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the administration’s motion for a stay of a district court ruling that stated the administration violated the Posse Comitatus Act with the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles. The appeals court order maintains the status quo as the district court stayed its decision until September 12. (MSN)
A US District judge halts the use of a statute which allows for fast-track speedy deportation of undocumented migrants who have been in the US for less than two years. The judge stated that the administration argued that the migrants do not have Fifth Amendment (due process) rights. (Reuters)
A federal judge ruled that the administration could not deport Guatemalan children who came to the US unaccompanied. The judge gave the children’s attorneys 14 days to present their case. (NPR)
A district judge ruled that the Trump administration cannot withhold funds to so called sanctuary cities. These cities limit their local law enforcement from aiding the Department of Homeland Security. They argue immigration enforcement is a federal issue, and the state cannot be compelled to do the federal government’s work. (NPR)
The Ninth Circuit Court ended temporary protected status for migrants from Nepal, Nicaragua and Honduras. The Trump administration is now able to remove these migrants as the case plays out. (NPR)
Alligator Alcatraz rulings
An appeals court overturned a district court order shutting down Alligator Alcatraz. The district court had issued the injunction to shut down the detention center because it ran afoul of federal environmental regulations. The appeals court said the center was state run and thus not bound by federal law. (CNN)
A federal district judge in Miami ruled that “Alligator Alcatraz” can remain open but cannot be expanded and can take no new detainees. The judge ruled that an environmental study was not performed which was required before construction. The detention camp has 60 days to remove “‘all generators, gas, sewage, and other waste and waste receptacles that were installed to support this project.’” (NBC)
Military occupation of cities
“Trump’s move to send National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to quell immigration protests in Los Angeles this summer violated a federal law against military members conducting domestic law enforcement, a federal judge in California ruled early Tuesday.” (Indiana Capital Chronicle)
A federal judge ruled that Trump’s use of National Guard troops in Los Angeles violated the Posse Comitatus Act which prevents troops from being used for domestic matters. The ruling is on hold until September 12. (BBC)
Tariffs
“A federal appeals court ruled that the president exceeded his authority by imposing unilateral tariffs on dozens of countries. The White House will appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, with Trump’s tariffs remaining in place until mid-October.” (Punchbowl News)
