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
The Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s far-reaching global tariffs on Friday, handing him a significant loss on an issue crucial to his economic agenda. The 6-3 decision centers on tariffs imposed under an emergency powers law, including the sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs he levied on nearly every other country. The majority found that it’s unconstitutional for the president to unilaterally set and change tariffs because taxation power clearly belongs to Congress. “The Framers did not vest any part of the taxing power in the Executive Branch,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote. (AP News)
On February 4, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that the electoral map which was approved by California voters last year could be used in the 2026 midterms. (NPR)
On January 16, 2026, the Supreme Court sided with Montana police in determining that officers did not need a search warrant to enter a home due to an emergency. (Daily Inter Lake)
On January 14, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that an Illinois congressperson was able to continue his lawsuit against a policy in Illinois that allows ballots to be counted up to 2 weeks after election day if the ballot is postmarked by election day. (CNN)
Supreme Court blocked the administration’s federalizing of the National Guard in Illinois. It was 6-3 but not the normal 6-3 split. This time Alito, Thomas (no surprise, they are true MAGA) and Gorsuch dissented. In the decision, the justices discussed the Posse Comitatus Act which bars the military from being used for domestic purposes. Therefore, the National Guard cannot be used for the same purpose as the miliary, who are barred from being used for domestic purposes except in cases of actual rebellion. (Democracy Docket)
The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Trump administration to require the sex designation on US passports to align with a traveler’s biological sex, a blow to transgender and nonbinary Americans who have argued the policy is unconstitutional. (CNN)
The Supreme Court allowed the administration to fire Rebecca Slaughter, FTC Commission, while her firing plays out in the courts. (Sept. 22) The Supreme Court will more than likely overrule the decision (Humphreys Executor) which states the executive can only fire independent commission members for “cause.” (CBS)
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
On 2/16/26 A federal judge, evoking the dystopian world of George Orwell’s novel “1984,” ordered the Trump administration on Monday to return a long-standing exhibit on slavery it removed from a popular historical museum in Philadelphia. (CNN)
On February 13, 2026, a federal judge ruled that the administration cannot access SNAP data on recipients. (WPBF)
On 2/12/2026, A federal appeals court allowed a judge’s order to take effect Thursday that requires the Trump administration to resume funding for the Gateway tunnel project connecting New York and New Jersey. (The Hill)
On 2/12/2026, A federal judge has blocked the Pentagon’s efforts to censure Sen. Mark Kelly and lower his retirement rank in the wake of a video in which the Arizona senator and other Democrats called on service members to reject unlawful orders. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, noted the military principal that service members enjoy weakened First Amendment protections to preserve discipline in the armed forces, but said that no court had ever extended that doctrine to retired service members. He said he would not be the first to do so. “This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly’s First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees,” the judge wrote. (The Hill)
On February 10, 2026, a DC grand jury declined to bring charges of seditious conspiracy against Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin. (CNBC)
On February 3, 2026, a judge ruled that State Department officials and Elon Musk must sit for depositions over the dismantling of USAID. (Axios)
In a January 15, 2026, ruling, a district judge ruled that the TSA’s ending of collective bargaining rights for its workers was a violation of a June preliminary injunction which blocked the termination of the collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). (AFGE)
On Friday, January 9th, a federal district court judge ruled that the administration could not halt funding for childcare and other services for needy children in 5 states. The administration alleged fraud and demanded detailed information on fund beneficiaries. The order would last for 14 days while arguments were made in court. (ABC)
On Thursday, January 8th, a federal district court ruled that US attorney John Sarcone was illegally serving in the position of US Attorney for the Northern District of New York. The next day, Friday, January 9th, another federal judge quashed the subpoenas for tax documents Sarcone issued in the case against Letitia James. (ABC)
On January 2, 2026, the Ninth Circuit court ruled that California’s ban on open carry in areas of population over 200,000 violates the Second Amendment. (The Guardian)
A federal district judge ordered the administration continue funding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The administration has been trying to close the agency since the beginning of Trump’s term. (NPR)
A district judge in California ruled that the Department of Homeland Security is able to access biographical information contained in Medicaid records. The information consists of date of birth, address, phone number, and immigration status. Undocumented immigrants are banned from accessing Medicaid. (CBS)
“A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to make full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments for November despite the government shutdown. U.S. District Judge John McConnell rejected the administration’s plan to provide partial payments without tapping additional funds, saying it failed to comply with his previous order.” (The Hill)
A federal judge on October 31, 2025, denied the president’s executive order which required proof of citizenship on federal voter registration forms. The judge of the DC Court stated that the executive order was a violation of separation of powers as the executive branch has no power over elections, those are administered solely by the states. (AP News)
On Wednesday, October 29, a federal judge quashed a subpoena to QueerDoc, a gender affirming care online practice, for information regarding individual names, SSN, DOB, and medical information of patients. The judge stated the sought after information did not relate to any actual investigation but was meant to “intimidate rather than investigate.” (NYT)
Tuesday, October 28, a federal district judge extended a temporary restraining order stopping the administration from firing federal workers during the government shutdown. (CNBC)
A district court judge reinstated grants that the administration suspended to UCLA from the National Institute of Health. “Nearly two months after the federal government froze over half a million dollars in research funding to UCLA, the National Institutes of Health has temporarily reinstated their suspended grants Tuesday, Sept. 23, – abiding by a federal judge’s Monday ruling… (Daily Bruin)
On Tuesday, September 9, a district court judge ruled that the firing of Lisa Cook, one of the members of the Federal Reserve Board, was illegal. Trump is appealing, and it will probably end up before the Supreme Court. (MSNBC)
The District Court judge who ruled last week that the use of National Guard troops in Los Angeles violated the Posse Comitatus Act on Tuesday (September 9) stated that he would not rule on California’s request to block further deployment of the National Guard in LA as it is on appeal to the Ninth Circuit. (NBC)
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)
Climate crisis/environment
A federal judge on Monday, Feb.2, struck down the Interior Department’s order to halt work on a multibillion-dollar wind farm off the coast of New York State, the fifth time the courts have ruled against the Trump administration’s efforts to throttle the country’s offshore wind industry. The administration is now 0-5 in its effort to stop wind farms under construction along the East Coast. (NYT)
On January 12, 2026, a federal judge ruled that a wind project off the coast of Rhode Island could continue. And a federal judge on January 15, 2026, ruled that a wind project off the coast of New York could also resume. The administration stated wind farms violated national security. Also, on January 12, 2026, a federal judge ruled that a wind project off the coast of Rhode Island could also continue. (PBS)
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)
Elections
On 2/19/26 a New York Appellate Court has ruled that the state’s independent redistricting commission must draw up a new congressional map, after a court struck down* the state’s current 11th Congressional District for diluting the voting power of Black and Latino residents. (Democracy Docket)
In a decision Thursday, the court rejected Republicans’ request to pause the lower court’s ruling that the current map was illegal while their appeal is heard in court.
On February 13, 2026, the Virginia Supreme Court allowed the state to hold a special election on the Democrat’s redistricting plan. (Democracy Docket) But then on Feb. 19 a county judge in Virginia blocked voters from deciding whether Democrats can redraw the state’s congressional map to counter mid-decade partisan GOP gerrymanders in other states. This decision was in response to a new filing by republicans. (Democracy Docket)
On February 10, 2026, a federal judge appointed by Trump dismissed the DOJ’s demand for unredacted voter data from Michigan. (Michigan.gov)
On Friday, January 30, 2026 a federal judge blocked several parts of an executive order that would added measures to suppress the vote, such as requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote. The judge ruled that the president has absolutely no power over elections; it is solely a function of the states and sometimes Congress. (Elias Law)
On Tuesday, January 27, 2026, a Virginia judge blocked the legislature’s redistricting map which was to counter the gerrymandered maps of Texas, Ohio, Missouri, and potentially other states. (Democracy Docket)
On Jan. 23, 2026 a federal court dismissed the DOJ’s lawsuit seeking access to Georgia’s unredacted voter registration data, because it filed the suit in the wrong district. The ruling marks the department’s third straight loss in its unprecedented legal fight to obtain states’ voter rolls. (Democracy Docket)
On January 16, 2026, a federal judge dismissed the DOJ’s request for voter data in California. This data included Social Security numbers and driver’s license information. The judge stated that the request “threatens the right to vote which is a cornerstone of American democracy.” (NBC)
On January 9th, a federal court judge blocked enforcement of an anti-voting executive order targeting funds for elections in mail-in voting states. The executive order directed states to, among other things, require states to insist on proof of citizenship status when voters register to vote. The order stated the executive branch has no authority over elections; it is a function of congressional and state power. (The Hill)
Immigration
On 2/17/26 Immigration and Customs Enforcement cannot re-detain Kilmar Abrego Garcia because a 90-day detention period has expired and the government has no viable plan for deporting him, a federal judge ruled. (AP News)
On 2/12 A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration has been violating the rights of people detained by ICE in Minnesota, saying the agency had stashed them in an ill-equipped, overcrowded facility without access to attorneys. U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel said it appeared the Trump administration had surged law enforcement into the Twin Cities without accounting for “the constitutional rights of its civil detainees” held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “The government suggests—with minimal explanation and even less evidence—that doing so would result in ‘chaos,’” wrote Brasel, an appointee of President Donald Trump. “The Constitution does not permit the government to arrest thousands of individuals and then disregard their constitutional rights because it would be too challenging to honor those rights.” (Politico)
On 2/4 a federal judge ruled that US immigration agents in Oregon must stop arresting people without warrants unless there is a likelihood of escape. (MSN)
On February 3, a federal district judge overruled the DHS’s ending of Temporary Protected Status for more than 350,000 Haitians. This is in addition to an appeals court order which overturned Noem’s ending of TPS for Venezuelans. (BBC) (PBS)
On February 2, 2026, a federal judge denied Noem’s demand that DHS be given seven day’s notice when Congresspersons want to visit a detention center. This is the second time a judge has denied the DHS demand. (Democracy Docket)
On February 3, 2026, a judge in Oregon ruled that the federal agents in Portland could not use tear gas or other projectiles at peaceful protesters. (CBS)
On 2/2/2026 The misconduct complaint against Federal District judge James Boasberg by the DOJ was dismissed on February 2, 2026. Boasberg was the judge who ordered the planes carrying immigrants to the notorious CECOT prison in El Salvador turned around. (CBS)
On January 31, 2026 , a federal judge ruled against a preliminary injunction filed by the Minnesota AG and the mayors of St. Paul and Minneapolis to halt “Operation Metro Surge.” This is the same judge whose order limiting the use of tear gas and other crowd control measures in Minneapolis was overruled by the 8th Circuit Court. (PBS)
On Wed., Jan. 21, an appeals court suspended a decision that restricts immigration officers’ aggressive tactics in Minnesota, while Maine declined a request for more undercover license plates for U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicles, citing “abuses of power” during the Trump administration’s crackdown. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was persuaded to freeze a judge’s ruling that bars officers from using tear gas and other steps against peaceful protesters while the administration pursues an appeal. Operation Metro Surge, an immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota’s Twin Cities, began in early December. (PBS)
On January 16, 2026, a federal district judge ruled that federal law enforcement agents in Minneapolis could not pepper-spray or pull over peaceful protestors. (NBC)
On January 16, 2026, a district judge ruled that ICE agents using a battering ram to break into a Liberian man’s home and arresting him was a violation of his Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure. (MinnPost)
On January 15, 2026, an appeals court ruled that the district court erred in releasing Mamoud Khalil, a Palestinian protester from government custody. The appeals court said the case had to be dismissed as the district court did not have subject-matter jurisdiction. Khalil is considering appealing to the full circuit. (ABC)
On Friday, January 9th, a district court judge said she would issue a temporary injunction on Monday, January 12, that would halt the Department of Homeland Security from ending “family reunification parole programs for citizens from seven Latin American countries.” She said not enough notice was given to the immigrants. (The Hill)
On December 24, a federal district judge ruled that the administration cannot block disaster relief funds from “sanctuary” states (primarily states with Democratic governors). Sanctuary cities and states have policies which prohibit their law enforcement from cooperating with ICE and Customs Border Patrol. (WCTV)
On Friday, December 12, the DC appeals court put on hold a contempt order by Judge Boasberg, a district court judge in DC (He set a hearing for Monday, December 15.) Boasberg began criminal contempt proceedings against the administration for not turning around flights to El Salvador of immigrants who were bound for a prison notorious for torturing inmates. It’s uncertain if the hearing will go forward which would consist of testimony from two DHS attorneys. (KCRA)
On Wednesday, December 10, a federal district court judge in San Francisco ordered control of the National Guard be returned to the governor of California. He put the decision on hold until Monday, December 15, to give the administration time to appeal. (PBS)
“A federal judge Wednesday [Nov. 6] ordered the release of video taken during an hours-long deposition given last week by U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino.” (Chicago Tribune)
“A federal judge in Chicago on Thursday [Nov. 6] issued a sweeping injunction that puts more permanent restrictions on the use of force by immigration agents during “Operation Midway Blitz,” saying top government officials lied in their testimony about threats that protesters posed and that their unlawful behavior on the streets “shows no signs of stopping.”” (Chicago Tribune)
Wednesday, October 29, the Seventh Circuit put a hold a Gregory Bovino, the Commander of the Border Patrol, appearing in Judge Sara Ellis’ court each day to go over the day’s events. However, that is the only portion of the order which was put on hold. The rest of the order remains in effect: the agents must wear body cameras and personally identifying information, the agents cannot use tear gas or pepper balls to control the crowds without warning.
Wednesday, October 29, the Ninth Circuit decided to re-hear the issue of the federalization of the Oregon National Guard troops in Portland en banc (11 judges will preside). They also reversed their previous ruling allowing the administration to federalize the Oregon National Guard in Portland.
“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)
Women’s Healthcare
“An appeals court overturned a preliminary injunction barring the administration from withholding Medicaid payments to abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood. The court ruled that funds could be withheld while the appeals process plays out.” (CNN)
