From Reuters:

Appeals judges prod #Trump admin, #union over #CFPB wind-down

Federal appeals court judges in Washington wrestled Friday with the extent to which they could instruct the Trump admin to operate the government's consumer finance watchdog agency, which the White House this year has sought to decimate if not shut down entirely.

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/appeals-judges-prod-trump-admin-union-over-cfpb-wind-down-2025-05-16/

“The DC Circuit should block the administration’s actions to shutter the agency & uphold #Congress’s plenary power over the existence & structure of federal agencies.”

…

“If President #Trump wants to shut down the #CFPB, the #Constitution requires that he go to Congress & get it to give him the authority to do that. Notably, he has not done so.”

Clement, a US solicitor general during the Republican admin of George W. Bush who has argued >100 cases before #SCOTUS, has clashed with the #Trump admin in other cases.

He is representing WilmerHale in its lawsuit challenging an #ExecutiveOrder Trump signed last month targeting the #US #LawFirm's business w/federal contractors & restricting its access to government officials and buildings.

During ordinary times, this accommodation would reflect an appropriate respect for the constitutional #SeparationOfPowers. In dealing with this Administration, with its maximalist conception of executive authority & its contemptuous attitude toward the #judiciary, the Justices are being played for fools.

That, the govt argued, would intrude on the President’s sole power to conduct foreign relations. So the govt’s responsibility here is to, what, maybe issue #AbregoGarcia a Global Entry card to cut the #immigration line if he somehow turns up at a #US airport? This defiant position cannot stand—not if the rule of #law is to survive.

If the #Trump admin doesn’t comply with the #law & provide the agreements made with the Salvadoran government, what will they do?

They can’t impeach with #Republicans controlling both chambers of #Congress.

Even if they then sue & win, Trump has shown he won’t abide by any court orders, not even orders from #SCOTUS.

There is no enforcing body willing or able to hold him accountable.

NEW NOW

#DOJ says #Trump admin will NOT comply w/ Judge Xinis' order because the deadline is "impracticable."

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.578815/gov.uscourts.mdd.578815.59.0_1.pdf

NOW

We have just passed the 11:30AM deadline, & #Trump’s #DOJ has not filed a response as ordered – per Kyle Cheney.

The hearing is still set for 1PM.

The #Trump admin invokes the #StateSecrets privilege, saying it will give Judge #Boasberg no more information about the #deportation flights to inform his decision about whether the govt defied his order.

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436.56.0.pdf

Holy crap

In a new affidavit in #AEA by someone turned around in #ElSalvador, they swear the following:

"Within a couple of minutes of take off I heard two US government officials talking and they said 'there is an order saying we can’t take off but we already have.'"

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436.55.1_2.pdf

Judge just said “#Nazis got better treatment under the #AEA”

They had hearing boards.

The people #Trump deported had no opportunity to apply for habeas. The planes started leaving 2 hours after Trump’s proclamation was signed.

The US Court of Appeals for DC is still hearing #Trump’s appeal & request to remove Judge #Boasberg this afternoon at 1:30PM.

#Trump doubling (tripling? quadrupling?…) down on #illiberal #authoritarian #StochasticTerrorism toward the #judiciary even going after conservative #SCOTUS Chief Justice #JohnRoberts (see pic).