All articles tagged with #federalism
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.
Ohio lawmakers largely push back against Donald Trump’s call to federalize elections. House Speaker Matt Huffman rejects ceding control to the federal government, insisting Ohio should run its own elections, while U.S. Sen. Jon Husted and Sen. Bernie Moreno back the federal SAVE Act, which would require citizenship proofs to register to vote. Gov. Mike DeWine and Secretary of State Frank LaRose tout Ohio’s election integrity and state-led administration, even as they discuss federal standards; experts say the president cannot unilaterally take over elections and that Congress, not the presidency, would set federal election rules. All sides highlight the ongoing tension between state control and calls for federal oversight.
Trump’s push to have the federal government oversee elections has alarmed state election officials who run voting nationwide, highlighting a frayed federal‑state partnership as DOJ/FBI actions, data requests, and executive-order proposals raise concerns about federal overreach and the future of election administration, with some Republicans backing the administration and others defending state control.
Experts warn that Trump’s call for Republicans to “nationalize the voting” would upend the Constitution’s division of election power, which is reserved to the states with Congress having limited oversight. Implementing a nationwide system would require new federal legislation, a move unlikely to pass, and the current decentralized system is praised for reducing broad-scale fraud and interference. The piece also notes past efforts to centralize rules (and Trump’s 2020 attempts to overturn results) as context for the debate.
Trump’s call for Republicans to “take over” or “nationalize” voting would clash with the Constitution’s Elections Clause, which assigns states—via their legislatures—the power to run elections, while Congress can set nationwide standards. Experts say a federal takeover would require new legislation and is unlikely, given the decentralized system that helps deter fraud and logistical chaos. The White House tied his remarks to the SAVE Act, but past moves to federalize voting—including 2020 executive orders and the Help America Vote Act of 2002—have faced legal challenges. The article frames the situation as a critical test of federalism and democratic norms.