Tag

#separation of powers

The constitutional division of government into legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Incidents involve executive overreach, defiance of congressional authority, or interference with judicial independence that violates this foundational structure.

4 incidents

Rule of Law
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern Ongoing

Supreme Court Overturns Humphrey's Executor, Lets Trump Fire FTC Commissioner — But Blocks Fed Governor Firing (June 2026)

The Supreme Court overturned 90 years of settled law protecting independent regulatory agencies from direct presidential control, upholding Trump's firing of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter in a 6-3 ruling. A companion decision the same day blocked Trump's attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook — a partial check that survived, though the underlying firing attempt, based on an apparently pretextual mortgage-fraud allegation timed to her resistance on rate policy, is itself the documented harm. Together the rulings reveal a coordinated legal campaign to bring the entire independent regulatory state, including potentially the Fed, under direct presidential control.

Sources
7
Supreme CourtHumphrey's Executorseparation of powersFTCFederal Reserve
Updated July 1, 2026 Rule of Law
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern Ongoing

ICE Arrests Three Men at Manhattan Courts Days After Federal Judge Bars Courthouse Arrests

Days after a federal judge restored limits on ICE courthouse arrests, ICE agents arrested three men at Manhattan immigration courts. Advocates call it the first clear breach of two court orders; ICE denies wrongdoing but won't say how the arrests were lawful. The core harm is a federal agency appearing to shrug off a specific, recent judicial order.

Sources
3
ICEimmigration courtscourthouse arrestsfederal court orderdue process
Updated March 27, 2026 Federal Dismantlement
Serious Rights Violation Ongoing

DOGE Shuts Down Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: 'CFPB RIP'

DOGE operationally shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — a Congressionally-created agency protecting 330 million Americans from financial fraud — by ordering staff to cease all work, deleting social media accounts, and planning to fire nearly all 1,700 employees. Federal courts intervened but the agency remains gutted.

Sources
9
CFPBDOGEfederal dismantlementconsumer protectionRussell Vought