Key facts
- A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to resume processing asylum claims for nationals of 39 countries.
- A federal judge blocked the USDA from withholding billions in federal funds from states based on compliance with certain Trump administration policies.
- Seven U.S. states are suing the Trump administration over the cancellation of an offshore wind lease.
- The ACLU and other groups sued ICE over alleged inhumane conditions at Camp East Montana.
- A divided appeals court ruled a Pentagon policy illegally banned transgender troops.
- The Trump administration is reportedly leveraging foreign influence laws like FARA against left-wing groups.
- The Trump administration is escalating legal efforts to obtain medical records of transgender minors.
- The Trump administration agreed to remove endangered species protections for the dunes sagebrush lizard.
- A proposed policy change could revoke federal benefits for thousands of American households.
- Over 80% of USDA Food Assistance Workers stated they would not relocate.
- Approximately 30 gallons of fuel spilled at a Trump-backed event on the National Mall.
- Lawsuits have been filed challenging new limits on federal student loans for graduate students.
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to resume processing asylum claims and immigration benefit requests for nationals of 39 countries, vacating policies that restricted these processes and citing violations of federal law and arbitrary decision-making. In a separate development, a federal judge blocked the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from withholding billions of dollars in federal funds from states based on compliance with certain Trump administration policies. This preliminary injunction was sought by Democratic attorneys general from 20 states and the District of Columbia. The judge also blocked the USDA from withholding funds based on compliance with policies on immigration and transgender issues. The Trump administration is also facing legal challenges regarding offshore wind lease cancellations, with seven U.S. states, led by New York, suing over the cancellation of a lease held by a subsidiary of TotalEnergies, alleging improper processes and misuse of a government fund. The ACLU, Human Rights Watch, and Texas Civil Rights Project have filed a lawsuit accusing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of abuse and inhumane conditions at Camp East Montana, the largest U.S. immigration detention center. A divided panel of federal appeals court judges ruled that a Pentagon policy illegally banned transgender troops from military service, stating the policy was designed to exclude individuals based on gender identity, though the ban remains in effect for now. The Trump administration has also reportedly begun leveraging foreign influence laws, such as the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), against left-wing activist networks accused of receiving overseas funding, a strategy that could become a significant campaign tool. Furthermore, the administration is intensifying its legal efforts to obtain medical records of transgender minors as part of a broader legal strategy concerning transgender individuals. In other actions, the Trump administration agreed to remove endangered species protections for the dunes sagebrush lizard, settling a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to re-evaluate the lizard's status within two years. A proposed policy change could revoke federal benefits for thousands of American households, potentially costing them up to $331 each by targeting a 2024 expansion that broadened eligibility for protections based on SNAP benefits. Separately, USDA employees in food assistance programs are resisting relocation, with a union poll indicating over 80% of Food and Nutrition Service employees would rather quit than relocate, potentially impacting government relocation efforts and USDA operations. Fuel also spilled from generators at a Trump-backed America 250 event on the National Mall, with approximately 30 gallons of fuel spilled and an environmental remediation team observed at the site. Finally, several groups have filed lawsuits challenging new limits on federal student loans for graduate students, scheduled to be implemented on July 1. A judge also ordered Trump's name removed from the Kennedy Center, citing congressional authority, though Trump alleged conflict of interest due to his wife's past representation of Trump critics.