This American Life #868 — “The Hand That Rocks the Gavel.” Reporters spend weeks inside New York’s immigration court, where ICE detains people in courthouse hallways as immigration judges describe unprecedented pressure from the DOJ to dismiss cases and defer to enforcement. The episode reveals policy memos, mass firings, and new precedents that narrow asylum …
Nearly five months after nine major U.S. law firms struck deals with former President Donald Trump—pledging a collective $940 million in free legal services—the impact remains unclear. Some firms continue to take cases opposing Trump’s agenda, with Milbank lawyers fighting administration tariffs and immigration policies. Paul Weiss, the first firm to sign a deal, has …
Ugandan opposition seeks to nullify law on military prosecution of civilians – The National Unity Platform (NUP), Uganda’s main opposition party, filed a constitutional court case to strike down a new law allowing military tribunals to try civilians, which President Yoweri Museveni signed earlier this year. Uganda’s Supreme Court had banned such military trials in …
Twelve pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong have appealed their convictions and prison sentences in the landmark “47 democrats” case, which has become a global symbol of Beijing’s crackdown on dissent under the National Security Law. The case stems from a 2020 unofficial primary election organized by opposition figures, which authorities labeled a subversive plot. Of …
A whistleblower complaint made public this week accuses Emil Bove, President Trump’s nominee to the federal appeals court, of suggesting the Justice Department should ignore court orders blocking the deportation of Venezuelan migrants. Former DOJ lawyer Erez Reuveni, who filed the complaint, claims Bove made the remark during a March meeting, allegedly urging the department …
A federal judge in Miami found Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier in contempt of court after he defied an order blocking a controversial state immigration law. Despite a February ruling halting enforcement of the law criminalizing undocumented entry into Florida, Uthmeier instructed law enforcement to proceed with arrests, arguing the order lacked specific agency direction. …
In Persuasion, law professor Rebecca Roiphe argues that decades of critical legal theory have undermined the legal profession’s ability to defend against Trump’s authoritarian legal agenda. Rooted in 1970s-era legal academia, the idea that law is merely a tool of power has shaped generations of lawyers. Trump’s view of law—as something to weaponize for political …
On May 9, 2025, Donald Trump appointed Judge Jeanine Pirro, a former TV personality and county judge, as the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, after withdrawing Ed Martin from consideration. Martin, previously involved in defending January 6 defendants and using his DOJ role to assist them, was reassigned to lead a new …
In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has accused far-right groups and segments of the judiciary of engaging in “lawfare”—using legal mechanisms to pursue politically motivated cases—against his wife and brother. Both are under investigation for alleged corruption, based on complaints from a group with far-right ties, triggering concerns about judicial politicization. Sánchez’s government has proposed …
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom was accused of restricting internal discussions among its lawyers regarding the firm’s controversial deal with President Trump to avoid punitive executive orders targeting the firm. The National Institute for Workers’ Rights filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that Skadden unlawfully interfered with employees’ rights to …