GSA, Trump International Hotel, and the Constitution

3/24/17  //  Quick Reactions

Yesterday, the General Services Agency surprised experts by declaring that the Trump Hotel in D.C. is not in violation of its lease. But the GSA's decision itself might well violate the Domestic Emoluments Clause.

Brianne J. Gorod

Constitutional Accountability Center

SCOTUS Warns Against Appointing "Unfit Characters"

3/24/17  //  Quick Reactions

A decision this week reminds us that President Trump is bound by laws, which he is violating, in making key appointments. The Acting U.S. Trade Representative, for instance, might well be occupying that role unlawfully.

Nikolas Bowie

Harvard Law School

Confusion Over The Essential Health Benefits

3/24/17  //  Quick Reactions

Last night, House Republicans released the text of the final manager’s amendment to the American Health Care Act. If it becomes law, the individual insurance market will likely collapse nationwide in 2018.

Nick Bagley

University of Michigan Law School

The Acosta Hearing & the “Deconstruction” of Federal Agencies

3/24/17  //  Quick Reactions

Hearings on President Trump's nominee for Secretary of Labor revealed little about the future of labor policy. But the hearings made crystal clear that Trump's executive orders and proposed budget threaten even popular and effective government programs.

Charlotte Garden

Seattle University School of Law

The Trump Administration’s Immigration-Related Detentions

3/24/17  //  Commentary

The Supreme Court is considering a major constitutional challenge to federal immigration detention policies. Trump’s recent executive orders make that case even more significant.

Leah Litman

Michigan Law School

Why California Stands in the Way of Trump's EPA

3/24/17  //  Commentary

President Trump recently announced that EPA will reconsider fuel efficiency standards. But so long as California remains free to set its own, more protective standard, Trump's decision may not matter very much. And the law is squarely on California's side.

Take Care

When Due Process Reliance Defenses May Bar Enforcement

3/24/17  //  Commentary

In limited but vital ways, those who relied on Obama-era immigration and marijuana non-enforcement policies should be protected against sudden shifts in federal policy under President Trump.

Zachary Price

U.C. Hastings College of the Law

Why Jeff Sessions’s Reversal on Private Prisons Is Dangerous

3/23/17  //  Commentary

The Attorney General’s embrace of private prisons is a victory for the industry, but it threatens the safety of correctional officers and prisoners.

Chiraag Bains

Harvard Law School

NFIB v. Sebelius As Anti-Canon (a.k.a. This Administration’s Galling Constitutional Hypocrisy)

3/23/17  //  In-Depth Analysis

The Trump administration is engaged in stunning constitutional hypocrisy. Measured against conservatives' professed commitment to "liberty" and "freedom," there is no serious distinction to be drawn between Obamacare and Trump's American Health Care Act.

Leah Litman

Michigan Law School

Reliance Defenses in the Trump Era and Beyond

3/23/17  //  Commentary

The transition to President Trump has massively shifted federal enforcement priorities. Does the Constitution protect people who relied on Obama's immigration, healthcare, or marijuana policies?

Zachary Price

U.C. Hastings College of the Law

The Sessions DOJ Turns a Blind Eye to Discrimination

3/22/17  //  In-Depth Analysis

In the landmark Texas Voter ID case, DOJ has begun its official retreat from the protection of minority voting rights. This is the wrong decision and an ominous sign for the future.

Danielle Lang

The Campaign Legal Center

Uncertainty Has Consequences: Health Care Reform Edition

3/22/17  //  Commentary

Uncertainty created by presidential action can be destructive. That is painfully clear in the healthcare field, where President Trump's vague, confusing, and ever-changing policies are already causing harm.

Trump v. Unions

3/21/17  //  Commentary

January 20, 2017 marked the beginning of a new and dangerous age for labor. Here's an overview of the many challenges and threats that the American labor movement is likely to face under Trump.

Charlotte Garden

Seattle University School of Law

An Unconstitutional Threat to Sanctuary Cities

3/21/17  //  Commentary

DOJ argues that courts can't hear challenges to Trump's executive order threatening to punish sanctuary cities. Its arguments are wrong and prove that Trump's policy is illegal.

Nikolas Bowie

Harvard Law School

Network Neutrality: What’s Next at the FCC?

3/21/17  //  Commentary

Among Obama-era FCC initiatives, none grabbed the public’s attention like the fight over net neutrality. Now that Republicans control the FCC, here's what might happen.

Daniel Deacon

U.C. Irvine School of Law