What We’re Watching - 5/28/25
With so much going on, it is understandable for people to feel news whiplash. To help our partners stay focused and find the signal in the noise, we are happy to share what we are tracking:
The Main Point: Judicial independence is under strain from multiple fronts, threatening to undermine an essential check on Presidential power.
Examples:
Congressional attempts to weaken judicial enforcement: Lawmakers are quietly advancing a measure to eliminate contempt-of-court penalties in cases involving nationwide injunctions. This would make it harder for judges to enforce rulings against the executive branch, significantly reducing the courts’ ability to act as a check on power.
Trump Administration Ignores a Third Court Order on Deportation: A third federal judge (a refresher on the first two can be found here) is criticizing the Trump Administration, claiming that it deported migrants to South Sudan in violation of a judicial ruling.
Conservative Justice sounds the alarm for Judicial Independence: Trump Supreme Court appointee Amy Coney Barrett pushed back on the Administration’s attempt to ignore lower court rulings on immigration and defy court precedent. It’s an important reminder that respect for the courts must transcend ideological divides.
Why it matters: A strong, independent judiciary is essential to our democracy. When checks on the Executive Branch are weakened, Jewish and other vulnerable communities are at greater risk of arbitrary exercises of power.
Read more from the What We’re Watching archives:
