A federal judge in Florida has dismissed a criminal case against a Jamaican national, ruling that the 40-year-old federal statute prohibiting noncitizens from voting in federal elections is unconstitutional. The ruling asserts that voter qualifications are a power reserved for states, not Congress, potentially undermining the Trump administration's recent crackdown on noncitizen voting. While the decision applies only to the specific defendant, it challenges the legal foundation of the Justice Department's enforcement strategy.
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a formal judicial misconduct complaint against nearly all active federal judges in Minnesota, alleging they violated ethical canons by speaking to The New York Times about the administration’s immigration enforcement surge. Attorney General Todd Blanche accused the judges of displaying bias against the Department of Homeland Security and demanded their recusal from all DHS-related cases. The judges, including former Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz and Judge John Tunheim, maintain their comments were protected advocacy for judicial independence under recent Judicial Conference guidance. The complaint, filed with the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, marks a significant escalation in tensions between the executive and judicial branches, following a winter surge in immigration cases that overwhelmed the Minnesota district court. While the DOJ argues the remarks were political and concerned pending matters, court officials and legal experts assert the judges acted within ethical bounds to defend the rule of law. The move follows previous, unsuccessful attempts by the administration to discipline judges in other districts, highlighting a broader conflict over judicial authority and executive compliance with court orders.
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed formal judicial misconduct complaints against six of the seven active federal district judges in Minnesota, demanding their recusal from cases involving the Department of Homeland Security. The action follows a New York Times interview in which the judges criticized the administration's handling of immigration enforcement during 'Operation Metro Surge.' Attorney General Todd Blanche labeled the comments 'overtly political' and a violation of judicial ethics, while the judges and court officials argue they acted within ethical guidelines protecting judicial independence. This marks a significant escalation in tensions between the Trump administration and the federal judiciary, following a winter surge of immigration enforcement in Minnesota that resulted in violent clashes and numerous legal challenges.
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a formal judicial misconduct complaint against nearly all federal district judges in Minnesota, alleging they violated ethics codes by criticizing the administration's immigration enforcement efforts in interviews with The New York Times. Attorney General Todd Blanche accused the judges of displaying bias and making political statements about pending cases, demanding their recusal from matters involving the Department of Homeland Security. The complaint specifically targets Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz and Judge John Tunheim, while also citing anonymous judges who spoke to reporters. In response, the judges and court officials argue they acted within ethical guidelines that permit discussion of judicial independence and the rule of law. This action marks a significant escalation in tensions between the Trump administration and the federal judiciary, following a winter surge of immigration enforcement in Minnesota that resulted in violent clashes and numerous legal challenges.
Wilber Garcés Pérez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan delivery driver, has been charged with assaulting a federal officer after being shot by an ICE agent in Austin on September 20. Prosecutors allege he struck an officer with his rear-view mirror and fled, while his defense claims he was attempting to park safely. Pérez remains detained with a bullet lodged near his spine.
The U.S. Department of Justice has ended its oversight role in 57 school desegregation cases, primarily in the Deep South. While DOJ officials argue these orders are outdated and financially burdensome, critics warn the move reverses decades of civil rights progress and exacerbates racial disparities in education.
UPMC and NYU Langone Hospitals agreed to stop providing gender-affirming care to minors and pay settlements totaling about $9.45 million after federal investigations into related billing practices, with privacy protections and no admission of wrongdoing.
NYU Langone Health reached an $8.5 million settlement with the DOJ to shutter its gender-affirming care for minors, joining Mount Sinai and other systems in winding down youth services after federal pressure and threats to defund federal funding; the hospital says it is resolving investigations without admitting wrongdoing, while critics warn the move reduces access to lifesaving care for transgender youth and politicizes medical decisions. The settlement comes after subpoenas and ongoing investigations, and state officials say they are reviewing the deal. Other major systems, including the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, have reached similar agreements.
Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, who chairs the Kennedy Center board, says Trump berated her for nearly 10 minutes during a board meeting over plans to close the venue after a judge blocked renaming it after himself, describing the episode as the most unprofessional thing she’s witnessed. The board voted to close the center for repairs amid ongoing litigation over the renaming, with DOJ arguing the center’s finances are precarious even as a judge reaffirmed Congressional intent that the building be named for John F. Kennedy. Trump supporters maintain naming should be tied to donations, though a court has found no proof that name-related gifts are essential.
U.S. prosecutors charged five individuals linked to a Kremlin-backed “global assassination network” with surveilling and plotting murder-for-hire in the United States and Lithuania, and targeting European infrastructure. The defendants—Russian nationals Yuri and Kirill Khrameev, Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, Yaidel Delgado Suarez, and Angel Eduardo Castro—are accused of conspiring to finance terrorism and, for some, murder-for-hire. The RIS network, active since at least 2024, allegedly recruited U.S.-based associates and offered tens of thousands of dollars to kill dissidents; all five suspects remain at large. The case is presented as a rare public example of Kremlin-backed assassination plots on American soil, amid broader concerns about foreign terrorist activity in the West.
Texas officials announced charges against seven people for voting in federal elections while not eligible, stemming from a joint investigation by the Texas Attorney General, the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, and Homeland Security; the state also referred 117 potential noncitizen voting cases to the AG, and later confirmed 578 voters flagged as potential noncitizens were actually U.S. citizens, with adjustments to reinstate wrongly flagged registrants.
The Justice Department alleges UC Berkeley Law illegally used race to weight admissions for the 2024–25 classes, citing prompts and a race-identity question; it notes Black applicants had significantly higher odds of admission than similarly qualified white applicants (about 5.8x in 2025). Berkeley says it complies with Prop 209 and applicable laws and will provide evidence, while the DOJ seeks a voluntary agreement and could sue if none is reached.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed what it calls the first lawsuit of its kind to block a Kansas City, Kansas, school district from facilitating gender transitions for transgender students without parental input, arguing the district policy violates federal laws protecting parental access to student records and requiring parental consent for evaluations; the district did not comment, and the move signals a broader federal effort to challenge transgender policies in schools.
The House unanimously held North Miami Beach Mayor Michael Joseph and ex-Cherfilus-McCormick aide Hector Roos in contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with subpoenas in the Ethics Committee’s probe into Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, sending referrals to the Department of Justice for potential criminal charges. Penalties can include up to a $100,000 fine and up to a year in jail. The measure was approved by voice vote, signaling broad support among lawmakers to enforce compliance in the ethics investigation.
Walmart has settled a federal lawsuit accusing its pharmacies of violating the Controlled Substances Act by unlawfully dispensing opioids; terms are undisclosed and the case was dismissed by stipulation in Delaware. The settlement ends a high-profile DOJ case tied to the opioid epidemic, following Walmart's 2022 $3.1 billion deal to resolve related claims.
