Due to a backlog of school discrimination cases, the Department of Education has requested that hundreds of employees who were laid off months ago temporarily return to work. The agency’s Office for Civil Rights has been significantly reduced, prompting the need to utilize all available resources to address the rising caseload. The directive, outlined in a December 5th email, calls for approximately 250 workers who are currently on administrative leave to assist. Although the department is facing persistent legal challenges, they will utilize all employees currently being compensated by American taxpayers.
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Leaked documents reveal the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) has instructed prison auditors to suspend enforcement of federal regulations protecting trans and intersex inmates from sexual assault, including those concerning separate showers and safe housing assignments. This directive, issued in a memo from DoJ official Tammie M. Gregg, is a temporary measure while the administration revises the regulations to align with President Trump’s executive order on transgender rights. Critics argue that this pause effectively suspends crucial protections under the Prison Rape Elimination Act, potentially endangering vulnerable individuals. While the memo seeks to suspend enforcement, the legal implications and actual impact on prison policies remain unclear, as existing PREA standards are still technically in effect.
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The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been renamed the National Laboratory of the Rockies by the Trump administration, reflecting a shift away from its focus on renewable energy. The U.S. Department of Energy stated the change aims to prioritize broader scientific capabilities and address soaring energy demands. This change has raised concerns among organizations involved in renewable energy projects, particularly in Alaska, where NREL partners with the Cold Climate Housing Research Center. This alteration is part of a series of name changes by the Trump administration, which have included renaming the Gulf of Mexico and Denali Peak.
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The Trump administration has removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the list of fee-free days at National Parks for 2026. Instead, the Department of the Interior will celebrate additional former presidents’ birthdays and Flag Day, which coincides with President Trump’s birthday. This decision follows a broader focus on “America-first” policies and will impact which American holidays are celebrated in the park system. Critics express concern that the shift in fee-free days sends a troubling message about who the parks are for and a reduction in information about the nation’s struggle toward liberty and justice for all. The new fee-free days also include changes in park entry costs for non-U.S. residents.
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The Trump administration has controversially justified the killing of suspected cocaine smugglers as “unlawful combatants” in an “armed struggle” against the United States, even if they are unarmed and pose no immediate threat. In a specific instance, Adm. Frank M. Bradley ordered a second missile strike on survivors of an initial strike on a drug smuggling boat. According to reports, this second strike was carried out because the survivors had radioed for help and were seen as still “in the fight.” Critics argue the second strike was a war crime, violating the law-of-war rules regarding shipwrecked individuals. This defense reveals the complexities of applying the law of war to a scenario that, according to the article, doesn’t really exist.
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This holiday season, many Americans are experiencing a lack of celebration due to the impacts of the Trump administration’s policies. The article aims to amplify the voices of those negatively affected and ensure their experiences are acknowledged. Readers are encouraged to join in holding the administration accountable for its decisions. Further engagement with the article is available for members.
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The FBI Director, Kash Patel, vehemently refuted a New York Post op-ed report criticizing his leadership and professionalism within the bureau, dismissing it as inaccurate and stemming from disgruntled sources from prior administrations. The report, compiled from anonymous internal sources, accused Patel of being out of touch, focusing too much on public image, and cited instances of unprofessional conduct, including a bizarre incident where he allegedly refused to disembark from a plane without an FBI raid jacket. Patel countered these claims on Fox News, calling the allegations false, defending his actions, and highlighting his personal life, including using the FBI jet to visit his girlfriend.
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A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from making widespread immigration arrests in Washington, D.C., without warrants or probable cause of imminent flight risk. The ruling, issued late Tuesday, granted a preliminary injunction sought by civil liberties groups against the Department of Homeland Security. Judge Howell found a substantial likelihood of unlawful practices, citing violations of immigration law and the department’s regulations. The judge also ordered documentation of any warrantless arrests, requiring agents to detail the facts supporting their pre-arrest probable cause, and to provide that information to the plaintiffs’ attorneys.
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A Colombian family has filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) alleging that Alejandro Carranza Medina was unlawfully killed in a US airstrike on September 15th. The complaint marks the first formal challenge to the Trump administration’s airstrikes against suspected drug boats, authorized under a novel legal interpretation. The petition, filed by a human rights lawyer, identifies US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as responsible and cites statements by President Trump ratifying the actions. A White House spokesperson responded by accusing media of supporting “foreign terrorists.”
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The Pentagon announced that all National Guard members deployed in Washington D.C. would be armed with live weapons and conduct joint patrols with local police, a significant shift in the rules of engagement for domestic military deployments. This decision follows a recent shooting of two guardsmen, one of whom died, near the White House, prompting the administration to order more troops to the city. The move to arm these troops comes as a recent order finding the deployment unlawful is on hold, pending the Trump administration’s appeal. Additionally, the suspect in the shooting, an Afghan national, has caused the administration to launch a review of immigration policies.
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John Q. Hosedrinker