Mackenzie Walz  //  8/30/19  //  Daily Update

The DOJ released a report stating that Former FBI director James Comey’s handling of the memos detailing his conversations with President Trump violated FBI policies. A federal judge denied the House Democrats’ effort to expedite their lawsuit over their request for President Trump’s tax returns. USCIS eliminated the “deferred action” program, which permitted immigrants to avoid deportation if they or their relatives were undergoing lifesaving medical treatment. The Pentagon officially established the US Space Command to ensure American dominance in space, which President Trump declared as crucial to the country’s national security and defense. The EPA announced its plan to roll back an Obama Administration climate regulation on methane gas emissions from the oil and gas industry.

PODCAST

The Trump Administration has frequently been appealing district court decisions directly to the Supreme Court through emergency requests, discuss Charlie Gerstein and Jason Harrow on the Versus Trump Podcast for Take Care.

TRUMP: INVESTIGATIONS AND LITIGATION 

The DOJ released a report stating that Former FBI director James Comey’s handling of the memos detailing his conversations with President Trump violated FBI policies (WaPo; NPR).

• The report is available here.
• Lawfare breaks down key parts of the report here.

New York officials filed a motion to dismiss President Trump’s legal challenge to the state law allowing the chairmen of select Congressional committees to request public officials’ state tax returns (The Hill).

A federal judge denied the House Democrats’ effort to expedite their lawsuit over their request for President Trump’s tax returns (The Hill).

IMMIGRATION

USCIS eliminated the “deferred action” program, which permitted immigrants to avoid deportation if they or their relatives were undergoing lifesaving medical treatment (NYT).

The Trump Administration has reinterpreted a 2008 agreement with Vietnam in order to expand the number of protected refugees it can deport, discusses Charles Dunst for Just Security.

DHS’s distinction between UAC’s and accompanied minors aligns with the history and structure of the Flores Settlement Agreement and will likely receive judicial deference, contends Peter Marguiles for Lawfare.

The DHS policy restricting automatic conferral of US citizenship to some children born to active service members abroad will likely have a limited impact (NYT).

DEMOCRACY

President Trump renewed his assertions of voter fraud, which has some Republicans concerned confidence in the 2020 election will be undermined, discusses Amy Gardner for The Washington Post.

JUSTICE & SAFETY

The Pentagon officially established the US Space Command to ensure American dominance in space, which President Trump declared as crucial to the country’s national security and defense (WaPo; POLITICO).

President Trump requested a review of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, delaying the release of funding many argue is critical to keeping Russia out of the country (POLITICO)

President Trump announced the US is close to reaching a deal with the Taliban and plans to withdraw more than 5,000 troops from the region (WaPo; POLITICO).

REGULATION

The EPA announced its plan to roll back an Obama Administration climate regulation on methane gas emissions from the oil and gas industry (WaPo; Legal Planet; NPR).