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Dozens of suits have been filed that seek to stop some of President Trump’s executive orders. Here’s a brief rundown.
By Mattathias Schwartz and Seamus Hughes
Mattathias Schwartz reports on the federal courts from Philadelphia.
Feb. 9, 2025, 5:01 a.m. ET
The legal war over President Trump’s blizzard of executive actions is intensifying, with new lawsuits and fresh rulings emerging now day and night.
Judges are already making their mark: As of Saturday, eight rulings have at least temporarily paused the president’s initiatives. Other cases have not been decided. No matter the initial rulings by judges, many decisions are likely to be appealed, and some might reach the Supreme Court in the months to come.
Here is a breakdown on the dozens of suits. The array of lawsuits fall into four main categories.
Immigration
The Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration — both legal and illegal — has resulted in at least 10 lawsuits, seven of which challenge his executive order revoking universal birthright citizenship. The plaintiffs seeking to defend the 14th Amendment’s longstanding guarantee to birthright citizenship include two groups of state attorneys general, nonprofits representing pregnant mothers, and an attorney from Orange County, Calif., who is representing his pregnant wife.
So far, the judges hearing these cases have been skeptical of Mr. Trump’s move, issuing two preliminary injunctions that have put the president’s order on ice. But one of the cases yet to be heard is before Judge Timothy James Kelly of the District of Columbia, who was nominated to the bench by Mr. Trump.
The other lawsuits against the president’s immigration policies challenge immigration agents’ authority to enter houses of worship; a memo that speeds up and broadens the scope of deportations; and an order that makes it harder for refugees to claim asylum in the United States. On Friday, San Francisco and other cities sued to block an executive order that would withhold federal funds from cities that do not assist with enforcing Trump administration immigration policies.
Budget Freezes and Firings
This category of litigation will likely grow as the administration attempts to assert its control over federal employees, lay the groundwork for potential mass firings and withhold spending that has been previously appropriated by Congress.
