Federal judge again blocks Noem’s attempt to limit Congress’ access to ICE facilities – Democracy Docket

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Federal judge again blocks Noem’s attempt to limit Congress’ access to ICE facilities

By Jacob Knutson, February 2, 2026

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A federal judge again blocked Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s efforts to hamstring congressional oversight of federal immigration detention facilities. 

Monday’s ruling marks the second time in as many months that U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb temporarily halted Noem’s attempt to require that members of Congress provide notice seven days before they conduct in-person oversight visits to immigration detention facilities.

Cobb, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, previously ruled in December that Noem couldn’t enforce the Department of Homeland Security’s advanced notice policy because it violated federal appropriations law. 

DHS and its sub-agencies are barred from using funds to deny members of Congress access to “any facility operated by or for the Department of Homeland Security used to detain or otherwise house aliens” when they are conducting oversight.

However, Noem responded to the court order with a nearly identical policy, though she ordered agents to carry out the new rule only with funding from President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), which she claimed was not subject to traditional appropriations requirements.

Democratic representatives who sued over Noem’s previous rule asked Cobb last month to also strike down DHS’s new notice policy. They argued that it would be impossible for the Trump administration to enforce the new policy solely with OBBB funds.

In her ruling Monday, Cobb said that the representatives, who are represented by Democracy Forward*, will likely succeed in their argument.

“Today’s decision restores Congress’s ability to expose dangerous detention conditions, protect people – including US citizens – who are in government custody, and enforce the law when the administration refuses to do so,” Skye Perryman, the president and CEO of Democracy Forward, said in a statement.

Noem’s second attempt at requiring advanced notice only came to light after three Minnesota Democrats — Reps. Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig and Kelly Morrison — were denied entry while attempting to conduct oversight on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility outside of Minneapolis. 

The lawmakers attempted to visit the facility after ICE officer Jonathan Ross killed Minneapolis resident Renee Good amid the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement operation in the city.

‘Continue/Read Original Article Here: Federal judge again blocks Noem’s attempt to limit Congress’ access to ICE facilities – Democracy Docket

Judge blocks additional citizenship provisions in latest setback to Trump’s election executive order – The Seattle Times

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Judge blocks additional citizenship provisions in latest setback to Trump’s election executive order

Jan. 30, 2026 at 4:59 pm

By TOM VERDIN, The Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A federal judge on Friday blocked certain federal agencies from requesting citizenship status when distributing voter registration forms, the latest blow to a wide-ranging executive order on elections President Donald Trump signed last year.

U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington ruled that the Constitution’s separation of powers, giving states and to an extent Congress authority over setting election rules, are at the heart of the case.

“Put simply, our Constitution does not allow the President to impose unilateral changes to federal election procedures,” wrote the judge, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton.

Specifically, Kollar-Kotelly permanently blocked two provisions of the executive order that sought to impose proof-of-citizenship rules.

Her decision said agencies will not be allowed to “assess citizenship” before providing a federal voter registration form to people enrolling in public assistance programs. It also said the Secretary of Defense cannot require documentary proof of citizenship when military personnel register to vote or request ballots.

“Our democracy works best when all Americans can participate, including members of our military and their families living overseas. Today’s ruling removes a very real threat to the freedom to vote for overseas military families and upholds the separation of powers,” said Danielle Lang, a voting rights expert with the Campaign Legal Center, which is representing plaintiffs in the case.

The White House said Trump’s executive order was intended to ensure “election security” and said Friday’s ruling would not be the last word.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Judge blocks additional citizenship provisions in latest setback to Trump’s election executive order | The Seattle Times

Judge blocks portions of new Florida election law :

Opponents say it makes registering voters in marginalized communities more difficult, while Republicans said they were making elections more secure.
#Election #MarkWalker #NAACP #RonDesantis #USDistrictJudge #voterregistration
#Miami #news

https://kbindependent.org/2023/07/04/judge-blocks-portions-of-new-florida-election-law/