All articles tagged with #federal law
A Manhattan federal judge ruled that the State Department’s policy suspending immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries exceeded its authority and violated federal immigration law, calling the move unlawful; the ruling, issued in a suit by immigrant-rights groups, blocks the policy and highlights ongoing tensions over U.S. immigration restrictions.
A new NuggMD poll of 1,063 cannabis consumers in state-legal markets shows 52.5% don’t think full federal rescheduling will happen by year-end, while 47.5% do. The DEA hearing on moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III is set to wrap up by July 15, with a final decision possible after that, following April’s partial rescheduling of medical cannabis.
U.S. District Judge Denise J. Casper in Massachusetts ruled that major provisions of Trump's March 2025 executive order to require documentary proof of citizenship for federal voter registration—and related election rules—exceeded presidential authority and violated the Constitution's separation of powers and federal election statutes, permanently blocking those provisions. The decision, which followed lawsuits by 19 states, reinforces that election regulation is reserved to states and Congress, while litigation over potential federal funding conditions could continue.
In a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court said the federal ban on firearm possession for unlawful drug users cannot be applied to a Texas man who used marijuana regularly, finding the law inconsistent with the Second Amendment. Justice Gorsuch wrote that the government’s analogy to founding-era alcohol laws fails, and the decision narrows how the Drug User ban can be enforced without striking down the entire statute or addressing all its provisions; prosecutors could still pursue cases where drug use renders someone dangerous.
The Supreme Court narrowed the federal government’s power to disarm people who regularly use drugs, ruling that a broad reading of the 1960s-era law banning firearm possession by drug users isn’t warranted in this case. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the opinion, with no dissent, describing the decision as a narrow one that does not address addicts in general or other prophylactic laws. The ruling centers on Ali Danial Hemani, whose 2023 indictment followed an FBI search that found a Glock and marijuana; the government says roughly 300 people are charged annually under the law, which carries up to 15 years in prison. The decision comes as marijuana legalization expands in states and signals a more limited application of gun-rights restrictions tied to drug use.
Following a federal judge's ruling that Trump’s renaming of the Kennedy Center violated federal law, the center removed Trump signage, updated branding on-site and online, and restored its original John F. Kennedy Center name, ending Trump’s bid to control the institution.
A federal judge ruled that the Kennedy Center cannot be renamed to include Donald Trump and ordered the center to revert branding; staff were directed to scrub Trump’s name from email signatures, letterhead, voicemails, social media, and website content and update to either 'The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' or 'Kennedy Center' by June 12. The board had previously voted to rename the center 'Trump-Kennedy Center,' triggering backlash and lawsuits; the ruling underscores that Congress controls the center’s official name.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, joined by Nebraska and Louisiana, is suing to block the federal government’s plan to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, arguing improper rulemaking. The suit, filed in the D.C. Circuit and consolidated with actions by SAM and NDASA, seeks to vacate the action. The development comes as Indiana lawmakers consider medical marijuana legalization, with Governor Braun open to discussion and Senator Bohacek planning 2027 proposals; Indiana remains among the states without medical or recreational cannabis.
The Treasury Department says it is preparing for a possible $250 commemorative note featuring President Donald J. Trump if Congress amends the law to allow living portraits on U.S. currency; under current law only deceased individuals may appear and the note would also carry 'In God We Trust.' The idea stems from Rep. Joe Wilson’s 2025 bill, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing would move to produce such a note only after a law change, with currency designs typically finalized years before circulation as part of broader 250th-anniversary currency initiatives.
CRS says moving medical cannabis from Schedule I to III signals medical value and could allow some state-licensed medical cannabis businesses and researchers to operate with fewer federal barriers and may enable 280E tax deductions, but it does not fully legalize recreational marijuana or bring the entire state-legal industry into CSA compliance; many penalties remain under the CSA, and full compliance will depend on further federal action and upcoming hearings, with ongoing research and regulatory considerations plus an expedited DEA registration process for compliant medical-license holders.
The Department of Justice is suing New Jersey to overturn two laws that extend in-state tuition and state-funded financial aid to undocumented students, arguing they violate federal law by giving benefits not available to U.S. citizens. The laws, initially enacted by former Gov. Chris Christie (2013) and expanded by Gov. Phil Murphy (2018), require certain criteria (NJ high school attendance, diploma, and a legalization affidavit) to qualify. New Jersey officials say the laws are lawful and note similar challenges against other states, while the Trump administration has pressed multiple lawsuits against NJ policies and related immigration actions.
The Justice Department reauthorized pentobarbital for federal executions and said firing squads and additional methods could be added, part of a broader push to revive the federal death penalty. A 48-page report urges the Bureau of Prisons to consider relocating federal death row to states that permit more methods, speed up appeals, and tighten clemency limits, while proposing to broaden eligible crimes. The plan also seeks regulatory paths to preserve the use of lethal drugs amid legal and logistical hurdles, prompting criticism from lawmakers like Sen. Durbin who view the moves as regressive.
The Justice Department reclassified cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, a historic policy shift that could boost research and access while marijuana remains illegal at the federal level. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche ordered the reclassification, following President Trump’s directive, applying to FDA-regulated products and state-licensed medical marijuana. Once published in the Federal Register, the rule takes effect after 30 days and may face legal challenges, with a DEA hearing planned for late June.
A federal judge dismissed the Justice Department's suit seeking Rhode Island's unredacted voter rolls, calling the request a 'fishing expedition' and saying it wasn’t authorized by NVRA or HAVA; Rhode Island maintains the data are private, and this marks the DOJ's fifth defeat in its efforts to access state voter-registration lists.
The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts unanimously approved plans for a non-circulating commemorative gold coin featuring Donald Trump, a move that raises legal questions about depicting living presidents on currency. Supporters frame it as a milestone for the 250th anniversary year, with a large design (up to about 3 inches) drawn from a National Portrait Gallery image, while critics call it unlawful and inappropriate for a sitting president. The Trump administration is also pursuing related image-placement efforts (a $1 coin, institutional naming, and other projects) that are similarly contested in court.