Lower Court Judges are Confronting Trump’s Lawlessness
The Trump Administration’s far-right agenda demonstrates the need for ethical and fair judges
From his day one executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship to his firing and punishment of federal workers, Donald Trump has begun enacting his unpopular and dangerous far-right agenda on our country. Ordinary people are left wondering whether the lifesaving and critical services they rely on will be the next casualty in Trump and Elon Musk’s war on the American people.
Donald Trump and his MAGA supporters know that some of the courts are going to stand in the way of these clearly unconstitutional actions–which is why they have leveled absurd threats of impeachment at any judge who rules against them. By consolidating power in the executive branch, agency is being siphoned away from other branches of government.
The system of checks and balances is a core tenant of American democracy and what our founding fathers envisioned. Our courts must be an independent branch of government that can serve as an equally powerful check on the other parts of our government–including the President. Judges have a duty to the Constitution and the law–not to politicians, billionaires, or any other special interest.
Courts working as they should:
Judge extends block on Trump’s federal assistance freeze indefinitely: “The judge…found that the Trump administration failed to point to any statutory or constitutional authority to impose the government-wide pause.” [3/6/25, CBS]
‘The Executive Put Itself Above Congress’: Trump’s State Funding Freeze Blocked By District Court Judge: “The judge’s ruling, though preliminary, includes a sharp rebuke to Trump’s attempt to seize power traditionally held by other branches of government.” [3/6/25, HuffPost]
Federal Judges Are Ordering Trump to Slow Down. Will He Listen?: “On Saturday, the number of active lawsuits in federal courts challenging administration actions reached 100. In 21 of those cases, judges had issued temporary restraining orders or preliminary injunctions, effectively stopping, at least for a time, parts of Mr. Trump’s second-term agenda.” [3/2/25, New York Times]
Judge orders longer-term nationwide block on Trump orders on transgender youth health care: “The preliminary injunction from U.S. District Judge Brendan Hurson in Baltimore, a Biden nominee, keeps enforcement of the orders on hold while the case plays out, though the administration is expected to appeal.” [3/4/25, Associated Press]
Judges vs. Trump: “That’s the second time the Supreme Court has stopped Trump in his second term, although lower courts have blocked many more parts of his agenda. With Republicans in control of Congress, the courts remain the only serious obstacle to the president.” [3/6/25, New York Times]
Why Federal Courts May Be the Last Bulwark Against Trump: “The multipronged legal pushback has already yielded quick — if potentially fleeting — results. Judicial orders in nine federal court cases will, for a time, partially bind the administration’s hands on its goals.” [2/9/25, New York Times]
Trump Dares the Courts to Stop Him: “It’s worth remembering why undoing this system of governance would be so dangerous to American democracy and why it’s vital that Congress, the courts and the public resist such an outcome.” [2/13/25, New York Times]
Judges are pausing Trump’s policy changes. But for how long?: “The stunning number of executive orders and other actions taken by Trump in his first weeks in office have generated more than thirty lawsuits. And the first wave to hit the courts haven’t gone Trump’s way.” [2/8/25, USA Today]
