All articles tagged with #federalism
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Suncor v. Boulder, a case determining if state laws can hold oil companies liable for climate damages. Justices signaled concern over a potential flood of lawsuits but struggled to find a clear legal basis to dismiss the case, with some seeking a procedural exit.
The U.S. Supreme Court begins its new term on October 5 by hearing arguments in Suncor Energy v. Boulder County, a landmark case determining whether federal law preempts state-level climate damages lawsuits against fossil fuel companies. Boulder seeks billions in damages from ExxonMobil and Suncor for alleged climate-related harms, alleging decades of deception. Justice Samuel Alito has recused himself due to stock holdings, creating a risk of a 4-4 split that would uphold the lower court’s decision without setting a national precedent. The outcome could impact dozens of similar lawsuits across the U.S., including a major suit by California.
If the AfD wins Saxony-Anhalt, Germany’s political establishment is weighing containment options—from excluding the party from sensitive interior-minister discussions and building information barriers to potentially cutting its fiscal support or even using federal coercion. Experts warn these moves could backfire by fueling AfD grievances or degrading intelligence sharing with allies, while some argue that governing the party might prove a more effective constraint than any tactic.
A federal judge struck down New York's ban on federal investigators wearing masks, ruling that the Supremacy Clause prevents New York from regulating federal law enforcement, while upholding a separate NY provision banning 287(g) agreements that allow local agencies to cooperate with ICE; the decision aligns with similar rulings against mask requirements for federal officers and does not comment on immigration policy itself.
The Trump administration's DOJ filed a federal lawsuit challenging New York's new immigration law, arguing it oversteps state authority and undermines federal enforcement by restricting ICE masking and ending certain 287(g) agreements; New York and its attorney general countersued to let the law take effect later this summer, as counties vary in their cooperation with federal authorities.
Seventeen states led by Nebraska’s attorney general sue California to block SB 54, the state’s producer-responsibility plastics law aimed at reducing single-use plastics by 2032, arguing it oversteps state boundaries and imposes costs on out-of-state businesses via a private regulator; environmental groups separately challenge the final regulations for loopholes and allowed recycling tech; Oregon has a similar case with enforcement blocked; enforcement began May 1, 2026, highlighting a major test of interstate limits on state environmental policy.
North America’s 2026 World Cup exposes a border-state rivalry over the NY–NJ hosting banner, reveals how U.S. federalism complicates FIFA’s plans, notes chaotic visa processes for fans, and highlights heat and climate risks threatening match days, all within broader discussions of governance and geopolitics surrounding the tournament.
The Justice Department has filed lawsuits in U.S. district courts against Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington, alleging these Democratic-led states improperly restrict or deny undercover license plates for federal law enforcement components (including ICE), thereby obstructing federal immigration enforcement and raising Supremacy Clause concerns; the suits claim the policies are discriminatory against federal agents, while state officials defend their programs as protecting safety and civil liberties, with Maine and Massachusetts officials indicating they will defend their policies in court and WA/OR not commenting.
Ottawa and Alberta signed a pact to fast-track a pipeline carrying more than 1 million barrels of oil per day to Pacific markets, a move the prime minister casts as proof of a “Canada that works” amid western alienation and a shift toward diversifying exports beyond the United States. The plan hinges on federal approval by October after Indigenous consultations and BC talks, a new emissions framework for Alberta’s oil-and-gas sector, and a carbon-capture hub; construction could begin in 2027 with first oil to a BC port by 2033–34, likely followed by private-sector ownership.
A Trump-appointed FEMA Review Council approved a final report advocating sweeping reforms to streamline the agency, including moving leadership of emergency response and recovery to the states, a plan that drew criticism from disaster survivors and environmental groups.
The 9th Circuit struck down California's law requiring federal officers to display identification on duty, ruling it directly regulates the federal government and conflicts with the Supremacy Clause. The DOJ had challenged the rule along with a separate mask ban on federal agents, continuing a larger legal fight over immigration enforcement powers.
The Supreme Court heard arguments on whether Mississippi’s rule allowing ballots received after Election Day can be counted clashes with federal law, a decision that could force states to change deadlines and reshuffle how ballots are counted for state versus federal races ahead of the midterms. Justices appeared divided along ideological lines, and the case underscores ongoing tensions over mail voting and potential federal reforms like the SAVE Act, with a ruling likely coming this summer.
The Supreme Court is hearing a GOP challenge to states’ post-Election Day mail-ballot receipt deadlines, tied to Donald Trump’s broader push to curb mail voting. The case questions whether federal election statutes forbid late ballot receipts, a tactic echoed by Trump’s executive orders and threats of lawsuits that pressured states to move deadlines. The DOJ’s position has shifted—from supporting Mississippi to arguing at the Court against some deadlines—while several states have already shortened or eliminated grace periods. With a ruling expected by June, the decision could reshape how states run mail voting and influence upcoming elections, potentially fueling Trump’s political backlash if the Court rules against such deadlines.
CBS News/YouGov poll of 2,500 adults taken March 16-19, 2026, finds broad cross‑party support for photo ID to vote and for proving citizenship to register, though Democrats fear citizenship verification could bar eligible voters; Republicans are more likely to say there is widespread fraud—especially in urban/Democratic areas—but the view isn’t held by a majority; views on mail voting are mixed; most Americans prefer state or local control of elections and largely trust their own vote to be counted.
A six-party Kurdish coalition led by the PDKI says it has organized military and diplomatic forces and is prepared to take action against Iran’s regime, but it needs external support—particularly from the United States—for a ground operation and has not yet received a green light; the leaders emphasize federalism and rights within Iran rather than secession, warning that US involvement could complicate regional stability and potentially widen conflict.