The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against all federal judges in Maryland, marking an unprecedented move in American legal history. The lawsuit challenges a court order that gives people facing deportation time to contest their cases.
According to MSNBC, the Department of Justice filed the federal lawsuit on behalf of the U.S. government and the Department of Homeland Security. The case targets all 15 active and senior-status judges in Maryland’s district, including the district’s clerk of court.
The lawsuit comes as judges are trying to manage what they describe as “hurried and frustrated hearings” where information about deportees is hard to find. The May 28 order, issued by the district’s chief judge, gives detainees a two-day pause before deportation after they file a habeas corpus petition, allowing judges time to review their cases.
How other courts handle similar cases
The Maryland district’s approach is not unusual. Other courts have similar rules in place. For example, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which oversees Maryland, allows a 14-day pause in deportation cases when someone asks for it.
The administration claims the court order is interfering with their immigration enforcement powers, a stance that aligns with the broader conservative agenda many Trump officials have supported. They argue that judges are getting in the way of the executive branch’s authority and slowing down their efforts to deport people they’ve identified as illegal aliens.
The lawsuit raises important questions about the president’s powers to enforce immigration laws and courts’ rights to review habeas corpus petitions. Usually, these issues are handled through normal court appeals, but this time the administration chose to sue all judges directly.
Legal experts say this case is not just about immigration. It questions the basic power of courts to check the actions of the executive branch, which has been a key part of American government since the country’s founding. The Constitution gives due process rights to all people in the United States, not just citizens, and courts are meant to protect these rights.
The Department of Homeland Security wants to move quickly with deportations, but many detainees are filing lawsuits to stop being deported. This has created a rush of cases that the courts need to handle, leading to the May 28 order that tries to make sure everyone gets a fair hearing.
This lawsuit marks the first time in U.S. history that an administration has sued all judges in a district for a ruling it disagrees with, adding to concerns about Trump’s pattern of disregarding constitutional norms. Critics say this move challenges the independence of courts and could lead to bigger problems in how our government’s different branches work together.
The case continues to develop as both sides prepare their arguments, with many watching closely to see how this unusual legal battle between the executive branch and the judiciary will end.
Published: Jun 30, 2025 12:43 pm