On June 17, 2025, New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander was arrested by ICE agents at an immigration court in Manhattan. Lander was escorting an immigrant defendant when he was detained, allegedly for assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer. Lander denies the accusations and has not been formally charged. Federal …
The Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) has strongly objected to a summons issued by India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) to senior counsel Arvind Datar, who had provided legal advice to Care Health Insurance in an ESOP-related matter. SCAORA argues that targeting lawyers for offering legal opinions undermines both the independence of the legal profession and the …
President Trump’s proposed FY 2026 budget calls for the elimination of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), threatening civil legal aid for millions of low-income Americans. If approved, funding would drop from $560 million to just $21 million for close-out costs, effectively ending LSC’s operations. LSC is the largest funder of civil legal aid in the …
A new report by The New York Times reveals that although courts have blocked several of President Trump’s executive orders targeting law firms, the administration may still be achieving its broader goals. Four prominent firms—Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Susman Godfrey—fought back and won in court. But nine other firms, facing pressure and …
In June 2025, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele escalated his crackdown on dissent, arresting prominent constitutional lawyer Enrique Anaya on contested charges of money laundering. Human rights groups say the move reflects a broader campaign to silence critics — including lawyers, journalists, and civil society leaders — many of whom have fled the country. Bukele, …
President Trump has issued executive orders aimed at restricting certain law firms that have challenged his administration or represented controversial clients. Some firms have settled, while others are fighting back in court. The NPR Politics Podcast highlights how these orders—some already struck down—raise serious legal questions about executive overreach and the weaponization of government power …
Arnon Nampa, a Thai human rights lawyer and pro-democracy activist, has been repeatedly sentenced under Thailand’s lèse-majesté law for peacefully advocating for monarchy reform. As of May 2025, he is serving over 24 years in prison, with more charges pending that could raise his sentence to 140 years. His convictions stem from public speeches, online …
A United Nations expert has raised concerns over the growing use of criminal law by Guatemala’s Prosecutor General’s Office to target opponents of the current justice system. Margaret Satterthwaite, the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, reported that former prosecutors, judges, human rights defenders, and journalists are increasingly facing criminal charges, …
Human Rights Watch reports that prominent anti-corruption lawyer Ruth López remains in pretrial detention in El Salvador with her case under judicial seal one year after her arrest, and is urging Salvadoran authorities to grant her a prompt, open, and fair trial, lift the secrecy on her case file, and allow her regular contact with …
On Law Day 2025, the American Bar Association warned that the U.S. legal profession is facing growing political pressure and retaliation, echoing patterns seen in authoritarian regimes like Belarus and Poland. Judges and lawyers in the U.S. are increasingly targeted for defending the rule of law, facing firings, disbarments, and public threats. Drawing on lessons …