Justice Department Faces Legal Setbacks on Trump's Agenda

The Trump administration’s efforts to advance its policy agenda through executive actions are facing mounting legal setbacks, as federal judges across the political spectrum have blocked or questioned a wide range of initiatives. Recent court orders halted a proof-of-citizenship requirement for voter registration, stopped the deportation of a man to El Salvador in violation of a settlement, and blocked directives threatening to cut funding for schools with diversity programs. Justice Department attorneys have struggled to defend these policies, at times appearing unprepared or lacking necessary information, which has drawn criticism from judges and led to internal mishaps such as the accidental filing of a critical memo. An Associated Press tally indicates that Trump executive actions have been partially or fully blocked at least 64 times, with dozens of other challenges still pending. These repeated losses highlight deeper issues within the Justice Department, including the departure of experienced career lawyers and reliance on less experienced political appointees. While some early rulings have been reversed or upheld on appeal, the Supreme Court has yet to rule on many of the most contested orders.