Ian Eppler, Jacqueline Sahlberg  //  10/3/17  //  Daily Update

Los Angeles filed suit against the Department of Justice, arguing that it is unconstitutional for the federal government to withhold funds because of the city’s immigration policy. Over 90 civil rights groups are preparing to challenge the Trump administration’s decision to halt an equal pay rule, which required companies to submit data to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Following the Las Vegas shooting, the White House said it was too soon to discuss gun control measures. Leaked emails reveal that Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort attempted to use his campaign position to solicit money from Oleg Deripaska, a Russian oligarch with close ties to the Russian government.

IMMIGRATION

In the major immigration case Jennings v. Rodriguez, the government argues that it can deprive noncitizens of their legal rights just by making it hard to vindicate those rights,  write Leah Litman and Britney Riley for Take Care.

Los Angeles filed suit against the Department of Justice, arguing that it is unconstitutional for the federal government to withhold funds because of the city’s immigration policy (LATimes).

Dreamers are hurrying to file documents before the October 5 renewal deadline (NYT).

Recently released documents show that after Trump signed the original Travel Ban, federal officials lacked guidance (NYT).

CIVIL RIGHTS

Over 90 civil rights groups are preparing to challenge the Trump administration’s decision to halt an equal pay rule, which required companies to submit data to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (WaPo).

The Trump administration “strongly supports” a bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks (The Hill).

JUSTICE & SAFETY 

Following the Las Vegas shooting, the White House said it was too soon to discuss gun control measures (WSJ, The Hill, Politico, WaPo).

• Democrats in Congress have called for background check legislation (The Hill).

If Trump Administration scraps the Iranian Nuclear Deal, Iranian cyberattacks could resume, writes Kate Brannen at Just Security.

The Trump Administration plan to remove the “imminence” requirement from drone-strike guidance does not comply with international law,  argues Daphne Eviatar at Just Security.

REGULATION

The Trump administration is considering several initiatives that would boost the coal industry at the expense of renewable energy, including a proposal to impose tariffs on imported solar panels and a regulation that would support coal power plants (Bloomberg).

The Trump administration is considering an executive order that would instruct federal agencies to review regulations related to public benefits (Politico).

The Trump administration is taking unprecedented steps to impose political control over scientific research within the government, argues Dan Farber at Legal Planet.

The Supreme Court opened its term by hearing a case on the legality of mandatory arbitration agreements in employee contracts, and the Trump administration has switched sides to support the legality of these agreements (LA Times, SCOTUSBlog, The Hill).

Despite controversy over his opposition to “net neutrality,” Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai was confirmed to another term on a largely party-line vote after President Trump renominated him (Ars Technica).

House and Senate Republicans have released conflicting budget resolutions, which may complicate the Trump administration’s push for tax reform (Politico).

• Meanwhile, the Trump administration is having difficulty promoting its tax reform proposal due to internal conflict over whether the proposal should be deficit-neutral and include middle-class tax cuts, writes Tory Newmyer in the Washington Post.

The Trump administration could best boost the economy by re-nominating Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen for another term, argues Jared Bernstein in the Washington Post.

RULE OF LAW

The Interior Department’s Inspector General is investigating Secretary Ryan Zinke’s use of chartered aircraft for official business (Politico, The Hill).

CHECKS & BALANCES

Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) has returned a blue slip for Stephanos Bibas, President Trump’s nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, clearing the way for Bibas’ confirmation (Philadelphia Inquirer).

RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE

Leaked emails reveal that Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort attempted to use his campaign position to solicit money from Oleg Deripaska, a Russian oligarch with close ties to the Russian government, report Julia Ioffe and Franklin Foer in The Atlantic.

Documents turned over to Special Counsel Robert Mueller reveal that Trump campaign staffers and Trump Organization employees had previously undisclosed contacts with individuals tied to the Russian government (WaPo).

Facebook has turned over to Congressional investigators approximately 3,000 advertisements related to the 2016 election that were placed by entities tied to the Russian government (NYT).

• At least one of the advertisements included images of an African-American woman firing a gun, in what may have been an effort to simultaneously encourage militancy in African-American communities and induce fears in white communities (WaPo).
• Facebook plans to add over 1,000 staffers to review questionable advertisements (WSJ).

Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) has concluded that Jared Kushner had no intent to mislead the Senate Intelligence Committee when he failed to reveal the existence of his private email account (CNN).

Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump sent and received hundreds of emails related to White House business on a previously undisclosed account on their private email server (Politico).

The Senate Judiciary Committee has been denied access to CIA materials related to Russian interference (Politico).