Sep 27, 2019

Court blocks Trump from indefinitely detaining migrant families

Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Federal Judge Dolly Gee on Friday blocked the Trump administration's attempt to keep migrant families detained long term.

Why it matters: This is the second time Gee has stopped the administration from trying to change or replace the Flores Agreement — a court order that prohibits detaining migrant children for longer than 20 days.

What they’re saying: ”The Department of Justice is disappointed that the court is continuing to impose the outdated Flores Agreement even after the government has done exactly what the Agreement required: issue a comprehensive rule that will protect vulnerable children, maintain family unity, and ensure due process for those awaiting adjudication of their immigration claims," a Department of Justice spokesperson said in a statement.

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Rashaan Ayesh

The number of children split from their parents at U.S.-Mexico border tops 5,400

An asylum-seeking boy from Central America runs down a hall at a shelter in San Diego. Photo: Gregory Bull/AP

The number of children separated at the U.S.-Mexico border by U.S. immigration authorities since July 2017 is now 5,460, according to ACLU data reported by AP.

Why it matters: Obtaining a comprehensive count of the children separated at the border was a difficult task because of poor government accounting, especially in the earliest days of the family separation policy. The government has also struggled to properly keep track of parents in order to be able to reunite them with their children.

Go deeperOct 25, 2019

Orion Rummler, Khorri Atkinson

Second-term Supreme Court cases to watch

Photo: Nurphoto/Getty Images

The Supreme Court, now with a solid conservative majority after Justice Brett Kavanaugh's appointment, is hearing cases that could have long-term ramifications on immigration, LGBTQ employment protections and access to abortion.

The big picture: The high court — with 5 conservatives and 4 liberals — kept a relatively low profile in its first term this year. But it could hand major wins to Republicans in 2020's second term, emboldened by Kavanaugh's appointment and sharpening their focus as a slew of hot-button disputes work their way up from lower courts.

Key cases to watchUpdated Oct 18, 2019

Axios

The fight for Trump's taxes

Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

A federal appeals court ruling Friday morning in House Democrats' favor was just one piece of a web of ongoing court and legislative battles to obtain President Trump's tax returns and financial records.

Why it matters: The case to subpoena President Trump's financial records from Mazars USA, his longtime accounting firm, is much farther along in the courts than most of the opposition's other efforts — and it might be Democrats' best chance to make them public.

Go deeperOct 11, 2019