Justice Matters with Glenn Kirschner

Donald Trump apparently thinks the Constitution is inconvenient, getting in the way of his fervent desire to deport anyone and everyone he wants out of the United States. His latest unconstitutional scheme is to suspend the writ of Habeas Corpus, which enables people being confined by Trump's executive branch to challenge the legality of their detention. Trump and his henchmen, guys like Stephen M...

Federal judges one after another have been ruling against Trump's illegality, unconstitutionality, and abuse of power, including many Republican-appointed judges - some appointed by Trump himself. Glenn reviews some of what went on during Trump's first 100 days (a losing streak that seems to be continuing), and discusses what likely will happen to the DOJ lawyers who are being called out by the ju...

It appears Donald Trump's grip on the Senate Republicans is loosening. Trump pushed hard for his nominee for DC US Attorney, Ed "Stop the Steal" Martin. Trump even posted that, "We are going to take our Country BACK and FAST. Ed Martin will be a big player in doing so and, I hope, that the Republican Senators will make a commitment to his approval." Trump's hopes have been dashed, as Sen. Thom Til...

During a White House meeting with the nation's governors, Donald Trump let them know, in substance, that they better get in line with some of his policies and proposals or he would cut off certain funding to their states. Maine's Governor Janet Mills would have none of it, and told Trump, "I'll see you in court." Trump replied, Good, I'll see you in court. I'll look forward to that. That should be...

As if Donald Trump didn't already wear his autocratic aspirations on his sleeve, during an interview on Meet the Press - Kristen Walker asked him, as president if he "needed to uphold the Constitution", of course his answer was a democracy-busting, "I don't know". This is severe, reckless and stubborn disregard for the duties of an American president and luckily it could represent the impeachment...

In an important ruling cutting back the lawless conduct of Trump and his administration officials, Judge Fernando Rodriguez - appointed to the federal bench by Trump himself - ruled that Trump can not use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport Venezuelan immigrants. Glenn reviews this important new ruling. If you're interested in supporting our all-volunteer efforts, you can become a Team Justice...

We are now squarely in constitutional crisis territory. After the Trump administration wrongfully deported Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, the Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to facilitate his release from a prison in El Salvador and handle his case the way it would have been handled had he not been wrongfully deported. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Trump DOJ attorneys said they did...

In a scorched-earth, 37-page Opinion and Order, Federal Judge David Briones excoriated Trump administration officials, including named respondents Kristi Norm and Pam Bondi, for claiming that a Venezuelan couple were dangerous gang members who should be deported under the Alien Enemies Act, but did not produce "a single piece of meaningful evidence". More from Judge Briones's Opinion: "This Court...

Donald Trump's Attorney General, Pam Bondi, is now parroting the lies of her boss, saying that judges are "deranged". Although Bondi clearly is trying to undermine the public's confidence in a co-equal branch of government - the judiciary - in reality, her statements are eroding the legitimacy of the Department of Justice. Glenn takes on the questions that the media SHOULD be asking AG Bondi about...

As a former career prosecutor and current legal analyst, I'm not much of a comedian. But recently I was asked to participate in a pay per view event called "Not The White House Correspondents' Dinner" which is something of a celebration of independent media. Here's my shot at legal analysis that's a bit on the lighter side, though it finishes with a decidedly serious ask of the Republican Party: c...

The Washington Post reported, "Wisconsin judge arrested by FBI, charged with obstructing immigration arrest." Curiously, FBI Director Kash Patel first posted then deleted information about this arrest. Glenn takes on the the nature of the allegations against the judge, and of Patel's ill-advised post-and-delete regarding the arrest. If you're interested in supporting our all-volunteer efforts, you...

In a devastating new order, Judge Paula Xinis, who is presiding over the Abrego Garcia unlawful deportation case, found the following: "Defendants (the Trump administration) - and their counsel (the DOJ lawyers) - well know that the falsehood lies . . . in their continued mischaracterization of the Supreme Court's Order. . . . Defendants' objection reflects a willful and bad faith refusal to compl...

Donald Trump's former criminal defense attorney John Sauer, who is now the Solicitor General at the Department of Justice, filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to reverse itself and lift the block on further deportations of Venezuelan immigrants. What is both interesting and telling is that Sauer said nothing about the midnight run ICE made with busloads of detainees headed for a Texas airpor...

In a remarkable turn of events, as Trump's ICE officers filled buses with Venezuelan immigrants and headed toward an airport in Texas, an emergency battle was being waged in court to try to prevent the Trump administration from engaging in more unconstitutional deportations. As the busloads of immigrants reached the airport exit, they turned around and headed back to the detention facility. One of...

The 4th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals has issued a scorched-earth opinion in the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case. Judge Harvey Wilkinson, a Ronald Reagan appointee, called out the Trump administration for grave and upsetting constitutional violations, saying, "This should be shocking not only to judges, but to the intuitive sense of liberty that Americans far removed from courthouses shall hold dear....

Judge James Boasberg, the Chief Judge of Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, found probable cause that the Trump Administration is in criminal contempt of court for intentionally defying his orders regarding the unlawful "deportation" of Venezuelan immigrants. Glenn reviews Judge Boasberg's new ruling and order and tries to determine what the next steps will be in this contempt ba...

After finding that the Trump Administration has done "nothing" to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the US, Judge Paula Xinis ordered expedited discovery in the case to determine if Trump Administration officials should be held in contempt for violating her court orders - court orders that were affirmed and reinforced by the Supreme Court. Glenn reviews the new court order in the Ab...

As Donald Trump continues to drag the American people to the edge of the constitutional crisis cliff in the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case, he's now threatening to deport American citizens to foreign prisons, and says that Attorney General Pam Bondi is "studying the law" to see if it's legal. Glenn says: AG Bondi can probably close the law book she's "studying", as it is clearly ILLEGAL to deport Ameri...

In an Oval Office meeting with the president of El Salvador, Donald Trump indicated that he won't bring a wrongly-deported man back from El Salvador, which would constitute a violation of a directive from the Supreme Court. As he was doubling-down on lawlessness and unconstitutionality, Trump also told the president of El Salvador that he "needs to build five more places" to hold American citizens...

The Central Park 5, now known more accurately as The Exonerated 5, brought a defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump for stating during a presidential debate that the five men had "pled guilty", had "badly hurt someone" and had "killed someone", in connection with crimes that had been committed in Central Park in New York City. All three of Trump's assertion were untrue. Trump filed a motion to di...

After the Trump administration unlawfully deported Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to "facilitate" Garcia's release and return to the United States, and that order was affirmed by the Supreme Court. However, Trump's DOJ has been dragging its feet, claiming it can't bring Garcia back from El Salvador, and even defying a federal court order to provide t...

The Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the US after they unconstitutionally deported him to El Salvador in violation of a court order. Indeed, even the Trump administration's DOJ lawyers admitted that their deportation of Garcia was "illegal." As Justice Sotomayor wrote: "The United States Government arrested Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia in Maryland an...

In a rare display of unanimity, ALL 9 Supreme Court Justices told the Trump administration that it MUST provide due process - notice and opportunity to be heard - to every single person it seeks to deport. As Justice Sotomayor said in her dissenting opinion: "To the extent, the Government (the Trump administration) removes (deports) even one individual without affording him notice and a meaningful...

Another day, another judge ruling against the Trump administration. Trump-appointed Judge Trevor McFadden found the following: "The Court simply holds that under the First Amendment, if the Government (the Trump administration) opens its doors to some journalists . . . it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of (their) viewpoint . . . The Constitution requires no less." If you...

On Saturday, April 5th - millions of people all across the world protested against the lawless Trump regime. That day - Glenn spoke to the thousands of people marching in the "Hands Off" rally in his hometown in Virginia. If you're interested in supporting our all-volunteer efforts, you can become a Team Justice patron at:  / glennkirschner   If you'd like to support Glenn and...