Federal judges are busy hearing and deciding cases that respond to the Trump administration’s actions and policies. Here’s are some recent cases:

• The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals joined the Fifth Circuit in ruling that the US can continue to detain immigrants without bond, overturning a lower federal court decision. President George W. Bush nominee Judge Bobby Shepherd wrote for the majority in the 2-1 decision. Another Bush nominee, Judge Ralph Erikson, dissented. 

• Judge Timothy Brooks, an Obama nominee to the District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, permanently blocked six school districts from displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms as per a state law which he called “unconstitutional.” The suit was brought by parents who argued that the displays violated their First Amendment rights. NCJW organized an amicus brief with 24 multifaith organizations that also argued against the display of the Ten Commandments in Public Schools. The Fifth Circuit overruled a lower court decision against a similar Louisiana law. The Arkansas ruling will be appealed.

• Judge Paul Friedman of the District Court for the District of the District of Columbia, nominated by President Clinton, ruled in favor the the New York Times in a suit challenging Pentagon policy limiting some news reporters access to the Pentagon. Judge Friedman said the policy violated the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech and the Fifth Amendment’s due process protections. In response, the Pentagon removed all media offices from the building.