DOGE notches courtroom wins as Elon Musk crusades to slash federal government
Most notably, DOGE critics are failing to obtain temporary restraining orders that would prevent Musk’s team from accessing sensitive government databases.
Federal Government
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Government, environmental groups net win in forest fight
The Hoosier National Forest has been the focus of two lawsuits since 2020 aimed at stopping a controversial federal vegetation management plan that involves the logging and burning of several thousand acres within the forest.
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The path to citizenship: Changes to exam may create more hurdles, advocates say
The process of becoming a naturalized United States citizen can be a lengthy one, with applications to submit, interviews to complete, fees to pay and the citizenship test. The test consists of three main parts that may soon see some changes.
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Finding freedom? Noncompete agreements facing stiff challenges on state, federal level
Noncompete agreements are taking center stage in the Indiana Statehouse and on the federal level this year.
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Shifting sands: Without congressional action, immigration attorneys deal with fallout from ‘political whims’
Although immigration law has not changed since Congress passed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996, presidential administrations have implemented new policies that have sometimes created drastic changes.
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Articles
Judge temporarily blocks executive order freezing USAID funds
A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order freezing funding for certain foreign assistance programs administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Mike Pence emerges as one of the few Republicans willing to challenge Trump 2.0
The former vice president’s refusal to break with Trump defined their time together in office until the two had a falling out over Trump’s refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election.
Musk’s DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS
The news comes as roughly 150 million taxpayers prepare to file returns by the April 15 deadline.
American Bar Association sues federal government for freezing USAID funds
The American Bar Association is suing members of the federal government for freezing funding for the United States Agency for International Development, an independent agency established by Congress that designates yearly funding for foreign assistance.
Trump closes down federal worker buyout offer after judge lifts hold
A judge on Wednesday lifted his pause on the federal government’s deferred resignation program, prompting the Trump administration to swiftly declare victory as it closed the offer to any more workers who might still have been mulling it.
Elon Musk calls for the US to ‘delete entire agencies’ from the federal government
Elon Musk called on Thursday for the United States to “delete entire agencies” from the federal government as part of his push under President Donald Trump to radically cut spending and restructure its priorities.
13 states to sue over DOGE access to government payment systems containing personal data
Democratic attorneys general in several states vowed Thursday to file a lawsuit to stop Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing federal payment systems containing Americans’ sensitive personal information.
Judge temporarily blocks Trump plan offering incentives for federal workers to resign
The ruling came hours before the midnight deadline for them to apply for the deferred resignation program.
Federal workers debate legitimacy of buyout offer as deadline nears
More than 2 million federal workers face a deadline of 11:59 p.m. Thursday to decide if they should leave.
Elon Musk tightens grip on federal government as Democrats raise alarms
Elon Musk is rapidly consolidating control over large swaths of the federal government with President Donald Trump ’s blessing, sidelining career officials, gaining access to sensitive databases and dismantling a leading source of humanitarian assistance.
Braun says he’ll follow Trump’s lead on deportation, keep National Guard troops at border
As President Donald Trump’s administration ramps up widespread deportation efforts, Gov. Mike Braun ordered Indiana law enforcement agencies to follow any immigration directives issued by the federal government.
Trump makes moves to expand his power, sparking chaos and a possible constitutional crisis
Just a little over a week into his second term, President Donald Trump is taking steps to maximize his power, sparking chaos and what critics contend is a constitutional crisis as he challenges the separation of powers that have defined American government for more than 200 years.
Trump’s first orders could include border, oil drilling, DEI policies
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to sign “dozens and dozens” of orders that will launch some 200 executive actions after being sworn in Monday.
TikTok restores service based on Trump’s promised executive order
TikTok restored service to users in the United States on Sunday just hours after the popular video-sharing platform went dark in response to a federal ban.
In blow to Democrats, federal appeals court strikes down net neutrality
The net neutrality issue revolves around how heavily federal regulators should control the companies that build and operate the internet. Democrats favor heavier oversight along the lines of how traditional telephone networks are regulated, while Republicans have argued for a lighter touch.
House rejects Trump-backed plan on government shutdown, leaving next steps uncertain
A day before a potential government shutdown, the House resoundingly rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s new plan Thursday to fund operations and suspend the debt ceiling, as Democrats and dozens of Republicans refused to accommodate his sudden demands.
Trump taps Musk, Ramaswamy to oversee ‘drastic’ changes to U.S. government
The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, will provide recommendations to slash regulations, cut staff and overhaul federal operations.
Trump expected to try to halt TikTok ban, allies say
The video-sharing app faces a January deadline to find a new owner not based in China or lose access to U.S. users, under a law passed in April with bipartisan support.
Minority-owned firms face ‘crisis’ as affirmative action programs fall
Minority- and women-owned businesses are bracing for the end of affirmative action in federal contracting—and the potential loss of contracts worth at least $70 billion a year.