Free Republic

A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked a Trump administration policy that sought to require members of Congress to submit requests a week before visiting and inspecting Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities. U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb ruled that the policy likely violated an appropriations law passed by Congress saying that the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, cannot use funds to require lawmakers in Congress to "provide prior notice of the intent to enter a facility" to conduct oversight. That DHS policy, announced in June, said members of Congress should file requests to inspect ICE facilities...

The Trump administration must stop deploying the California National Guard in Los Angeles and return control of the troops to the state, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco granted a preliminary injunction sought by California officials who opposed President Donald Trump’s extraordinary move to use state Guard troops without the governor’s approval to further his immigration enforcement efforts. But he also put the decision on hold until Monday. California argued that conditions in Los Angeles had changed since Trump first took command of the troops and deployed them in June. The administration initially...

U.S. Attorney David Kelley of New York City, who has concentrated on prosecuting rich white-collar criminals, has been assigned to investigate the young Republican aide accused of reading confidential Democratic communications. Manuel Miranda, who formerly advised Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on judicial confirmations, was fired after he uncovered Democratic plans to scuttle President Bush's nominations. Sen. Orrin Hatch, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Frist refused to support Miranda. Miranda, a young father and husband, is currently unemployed. While many conservatives consider him a hero for uncovering the plans revolving around Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Miranda now could...

It was an increasingly damp day (from a few drops of rain escalating to just short of a downpour), but the DEMOCRAT OBSTRUCTION DAY Rally and Press Conference went forth as planned. Close to a hundred very serious, very determined individuals were gathered in the rain to put the spotlight on the unconstitutional filibusters and other tactics being used by the Minority Senate Democrats to block well-qualified judicial nominees from an up or down vote by the full Senate. May 9 was the second anniversary of President Bush's first judicial circuit court nominations. Nine FReepers and lurkers were present at...