This evening’s update covers a bit less ground than usual since I’m not attempting to squeeze three days’ worth of legal news into one column. Nonetheless, Tuesday was not devoid of events.
Another Supreme Court ruling was issued in the case of Monsalvo Velazquez v. Bondi. While this case also pertains to immigration, some may be attaching more significance to it than needed. The matter revolves around the 2021 removal proceedings against the petitioner (the case specifically involves Pam Bondi, the current Attorney General, with Merrick Garland previously named as the defendant), and whether the 60-day deadline to reopen the removal proceedings expired on a Saturday or the subsequent Monday. In essence, the ruling deals with the timing of a procedural aspect.
And here is Tuesday’s round-up of the ongoing cases challenging the Trump administration’s executive actions:
- Abrego Garcia v. Noem – 8:25-cv-00951 – (case challenging removal of plaintiff — a/k/a “Maryland father” — to El Salvador) — The Trump administration filed its Tuesday status report with the court. This one, however, was under seal…so we’re left guessing as to its contents (for now, at least). In the meantime, the parties are sparring over the expedited discovery, and we’re learning a bit more about the particulars of Abrego Garcia’s case, namely, that, while “’approximately $6 million’ has been made available to the Government of El Salvador (GOES) to be used by the GOES for its law enforcement needs, including ‘for the detention of these [Venezuelan] foreign terrorists,’ the United States has not provided any specific assistance with respect to the detention of Abrego Garcia or any other Salvadoran national.” (emphasis mine) Judge Paula Xinis (Maryland) has now issued an order regarding the discovery dispute long on directives and short on patience. She does require the plaintiffs to narrow a couple of their requests, but largely, her ruling is addressed to the government, overruling the majority of its objections and giving it until 6:00 p.m. Wednesday to beef up its responses and its bases for objections.
- – 3:25-cv-02847 – (case challenging contract termination of funding allocated to legal services for unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings) — District Court Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín (Northern District of California) entered an order on Monday denying the administration’s motion to dissolve her prior entered TRO and stay the proceedings pending appeal. A hearing on the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction is set for Wednesday.
- Widakuswara v. Lake – 1:25-cv-01015 – (case challenging dismantling of United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM)) — On Tuesday, District Court Judge Royce Lamberth (D.C.) entered an order granting in part and denying in part the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction. He granted it as to Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, and Middle East Broadcasting Network, but denied it as to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Open Technology Fund because their current agreements/grant funding status differs from the first three entities.
