Trump Administration Defies Lower Court Rulings in 31 Lawsuits

An Associated Press review of court records reveals that the administration of Donald Trump violated court orders in at least 31 lawsuits and more than 250 individual immigration petitions during its first 15 months in office. These violations span several policy areas, including mass layoffs, spending cuts, the withholding of billions in foreign aid, and the failure to restore Voice of America programming.

District court judges have accused the government of acting in bad faith and utilizing ham-handed tactics to erode the separation of powers. Specific instances of noncompliance include the U.S. Department of Homeland Security flouting orders on disaster relief funding and immigration priorities, as well as the U.S. Department of Education bypassing a court injunction to limit school grants. The U.S. Department of Justice has been described by judges as combative and accused of rewriting court orders to suit the administration.

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson maintains that the administration is lawfully implementing the America First agenda and continues to comply with lawful rulings. However, higher courts and the Supreme Court have overruled nearly half of the contested district rulings. Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor has criticized this trend, warning that rewarding noncompliance with discretionary relief erodes respect for the rule of law.