Donald Trump began his second presidential term in office on January 20, 2025, and released his first press statement, "President Trump's America First Priorities", about his goals for his term later that day.
Trump began signing executive orders after his swearing in, intended to enact specific actions regarding his stated priorities. The executive orders have addressed portions of the federal government and beyond, and sparked a flurry of court cases in response. In the administration's first two months, 127 lawsuits were filed against it, according to data at New York University, but Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News there were at least 160.
Many cases have been in response to Executive Order 14158, establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trump identified billionaire and tech CEO, Elon Musk, as leading DOGE, although he did not hold the office of DOGE Administrator. Musk began federal cost-cutting measures, including layoffs, shutting down departments and agencies, ending aid, and removing programs, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
The Trump administration has claimed that they have wide powers to bypass Congressional oversight, while many others believe these actions to be unconstitutional. As Musk has gained power over the federal sector, there have been mass layoffs and retirement requests from across departments.
One incident that has spurred lawsuits and protest was a memo emailed to federal workers, titled "Fork in the Road". This memo was in reference to a US federal deferred resignation program that was being mandated by the DOGE team.
Department of Government Efficiency.
Establishment of DOGE.
"J. Doe 1-26 v. Elon Musk (D. Md)".
Donald Trump with the signing of Executive Order 14158 established (or renamed) the Department of Government Efficiency and put Elon Musk in charge. A lawsuit by 26 USAID employees and contractors claims Elon Musk’s role as DOGE head violates the Appointments Clause, alleging he wields significant government authority without Senate confirmation.
Election law.
Executive order 14248.
"Democratic National Committee v. Trump", "League of Latin American Citizens v. Executive Office of the President" and "League of Women Voters Education Fund v. Trump" have been consolidated and proceed under "League of United Latin American Citizens v. Executive Office of the President".
Freedom of the press.
Executive order 14172.
"Associated Press v. Budowich".
The Associated Press has sued three members of the White House Office for banning them from press pool events in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One, in response to the organization's continued references to the Gulf of Mexico instead of the "Gulf of America", the name promulgated in Executive Order 14172.
Immigration, detention, deportation and citizenship.
Deportation to imprisonment in El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center.
"Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights v. Department of State" (D.D.C.), 1:25-cv-01774
Executive order 14160, pertaining to birthright citizenship.
On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14160, which seeks to revoke birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. The executive order argues that the children of undocumented immigrants are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the US.
New Hampshire Indonesian Community Support v. Donald J. Trump (D.N.H.) Case No. 1:25-cv-00038.
On January 20, 2025, the American Civil Liberties Union sued the Trump Administration, citing the 14th Amendment and U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark (1898) as affirming birthright citizenship, on behalf of New Hampshire Indonesian Community, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and Make the Road Work.
On February 10, 2025, Judge Joseph N. Laplante of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire issued a preliminary injunction.
O. Doe; Brazilian Worker Center, Inc; La Colaborativa v. Donald J. Trump et al (D. Mass.) Case No. 1:25-cv-10135-LTS.
In Massachusetts, a plaintiff, going by "O. Doe", along with a group of pregnant women whose children would not receive citizenship, if birthright citizenship were to be rescinded due to Executive Order 14160, sued Donald J. Trump "et al.", citing the 14th Amendment and U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark (1898).
On February 13, 2025 Judge Leo T. Sorokin of the District Court of Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the Executive Order.
Case list.
Note: the Supreme Court consolidated "Trump v. Casa Inc.", "Trump v. State of New Jersey", and "Trump v. State of Washington."
Proclamation 10903, pertaining to the Alien Enemies Act.
"J.G.G. v. Trump" (D.D.C.) is a class action and habeas corpus lawsuit brought by five Venezuelan men in immigration custody, contesting Trump's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) in presidential proclamation 10903 and the attempt to deport Venezuelan citizens in the US who are alleged to be members of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua. The district court judge granted temporary restraining order for the five plaintiffs and then, after certifying the class, granted another temporary restraining order for the class. The Trump administration appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, which denied the appeal, and then to the Supreme Court, which vacated the temporary restraining orders, stating that any challenges to removal under the AEA must be brought as a habeas corpus petitions, which requires that the petition be filed in the district where a petitioner is detained, and since the petitioners were detained in Texas, their petition in the District of Columbia had been filed in the wrong jurisdiction. The court did not reach whether the use of the AEA to deport the men was constitutional, nor whether it applied to the plaintiffs. It added that the government had to give anyone it sought to deport under the AEA enough notice that they could file habeas complaints challenging their removal. Related cases were then filed in other districts.
Termination of F-1 student visa status.
In addition to this class action suit, there are over 100 other suits.