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Judge Tanya Chutkan (D.D.C.) on Wednesday granted in part plaintiffs’ request for expedited discovery seeking information from the Trump administration about the Department of Government Efficiency’s authority and personnel. (Opinion.) (Order.) (Politico.)
Judge Sparkle Sooknanan (D.D.C.) on Wednesday ordered the reinstatement of a member of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), Susan Grundmann, following her firing without explanation on February 10. Members of the FLRA can only be removed, according to statute, for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” Judge Sooknanan rejected the government’s argument that the statutory protection is unconstitutional—as have other district court judges over the last several weeks. (Opinion.) (Order.) (Politico.)
Judge Beryl Howell (D.D.C.) on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration from enforcing key provisions of its executive order targeting the Perkins Coie law firm. Judge Howell said in the hearing that Trump’s executive order “runs head on into the wall of First Amendment protections.” See prior Roundups here and here for the background. (Order.) (Politico.) (Commentary from the WSJ.)
Judge Jesse Furman (S.D.N.Y.) on Wednesday determined that Mahmoud Khalil, the legal permanent resident and pro-Palestinian activist detained by immigration authorities on Saturday, would remain in Louisiana to provide the court with time to address “important issues that this case raises.” Judge Furman also ordered that Khalil’s lawyers be permitted to speak with their client on the phone yesterday and today. The Department of Homeland Security has indicated in a charging document its view that Khalil could be deported from the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act. See yesterday’s Roundup for background. (Order.) (WSJ.) (Charging document.) (Commentary from Matthew Boaz, Lawfare, and Ahilan Arulanantham and Adam Cox, Just Security.)
The Trump administration on Tuesday reportedly transferred the 40 migrants held at Guantanamo Bay to a Louisiana airport that “has emerged as a hub of immigration detention activity.” (NYT.)
President Trump plans to give a speech at the Justice Department on Friday to discuss the administration’s plans to “restor[e] law and order.” (Axios.)
Bob Bauer argued that the Trump administration’s repudiation of conflict of interest and anti-corruption norms and rules facilitate Trump’s realization of a “maximalist” presidency. (Executive Functions.)
Samuel Bray analyzed—in the context of Dellinger v. Bessent—whether a federal court can grant a declaratory judgment against the president. (Divided Argument.)
Jonathan Adler examined the legal obstacles standing in the way of the Trump administration’s effort to reconsider the Environmental Protection Agency’s “endangerment finding.” (The Volokh Conspiracy.)
Bethany Berger critiqued the Trump administration’s claim that the Fourteenth Amendment’s original exclusion of Native Americans from birthright citizenship supports the administration’s birthright citizenship arguments today. (Lawfare.)