The Trump administration is intensifying its confrontations with the judiciary, defying federal court orders and asserting expansive executive powers in a move that critics argue undermines the constitutional checks and balances of the U.S. government. Over the weekend, President Donald Trump refused to comply with a federal judge’s order to halt the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelans to El Salvador, marking the latest in a series of clashes between the administration and the courts.
This defiance is part of a broader pattern, as the administration has repeatedly ignored judicial orders to unfreeze funding for various domestic and foreign programs. The administration’s aggressive stance is testing the limits of executive authority, with the Supreme Court—which includes three Trump-appointed justices—so far remaining largely uninvolved.The administration is also leveraging immigration policies to challenge legal norms, particularly in cases involving legal permanent residents and visa holders. For example, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has revoked the green card of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate, citing potential “serious adverse foreign policy consequences.” Similarly, Dr. Rasha Alawieh, an assistant professor at Brown University, was deported over the weekend. Both cases rely on the rarely used authority of the Secretary of State to revoke visas and green cards, raising concerns about due process and transparency.Critics argue that these actions are part of a broader campaign by Trump to consolidate power and delegitimize institutions that traditionally act as checks on the presidency. The administration has shuttered the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), fired thousands of federal workers, and withheld legally appropriated funds for various programs. Additionally, Trump has escalated efforts to discredit independent institutions, including universities and nonpartisan media.Kim Wehle, a constitutional law professor at the University of Baltimore, warned that Trump’s actions represent a dangerous accumulation of power. “He now is the law,” she said. “He decides what’s legal and not legal. He decides winners and losers, and it’s arbitrary.”The administration’s defiance of court orders and its expansive use of executive authority are setting the stage for a potential constitutional crisis. As the judiciary and other institutions push back, the outcome of this power struggle could have lasting implications for the balance of power in the U.S. government.For more political updates, visit DC Brief
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