Federal

Federal Judge Orders Detained Tufts Student’s Transfer to Vermont Amid Political Controversy

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BOSTON — A federal judge ruled on Thursday that a Tufts University student detained by immigration officials must be transported to Vermont from her current holding facility in Louisiana. The judicial order mandates her transfer to the jurisdiction of Vermont’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with a compliance deadline set for no later than May 1, 2025. Thirty-year-old Rumeysa Ozturk was arrested near her home in Somerville, Massachusetts, in March and has since been held in a Louisiana detention center. The judge’s initial directive on April 18 to move Ozturk faced resistance, as the Trump … Read more

Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration from Withholding Funds to Sanctuary Cities

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San Francisco, California – A federal judge in California issued a ruling on Thursday that prohibits the Trump administration from withholding federal funds from so-called “sanctuary” cities. This decision reasserts the constitutional challenges faced by executive orders aimed at punishing jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Judge William Orrick of San Francisco granted a preliminary injunction against the administration, echoing his similar judgment from 2017. The ruling stemmed from lawsuits filed by San Francisco and over a dozen other cities. These municipalities challenged the legality of several executive orders signed by the Republican … Read more

Jury Set for High-Stakes Federal Corruption Trial of Former Tennessee House Speaker and Chief of Staff

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Nashville, Tenn. – After nearly two days of selection, a jury of 16, including 12 main jurors and four alternates, has been finalized for the federal corruption trial involving former Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada and his ex-Chief of Staff Cade Cothren. The trial, attracting considerable attention due to the high-profile nature of the allegations, began with intensive juror questioning at a Nashville federal courthouse. Casada and Cothren stand accused on 20 federal charges including conspiracy, public corruption involving fraud, bribery, name concealment, and money laundering. These charges, stemming from an indictment by … Read more

Former Federal Judge Joins High-Stakes Legal Battle Against LADWP Over Devastating Palisades Fire

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Los Angeles, CA — In a significant legal move, Jay Gandhi, a retired federal judge and victim of the destructive Palisades fire, has joined a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). The suit, which now encompasses over 750 plaintiffs, accuses the city utility of negligence during the blaze which consumed hundreds of homes, including that of Gandhi and U.S. District Court Judge Dean Pregerson. The lawsuit, filed on January 13, highlights critical failures and lapses in emergency response. It claims that two local reservoirs, critical for firefighting, were not available … Read more