Kyle Cheney
@kyledcheney.bsky.social
Senior legal affairs reporter at POLITICO with a focus on democracy, the balance of power and the clash between the Trump administration and courts.
Judges Rao/Katsas have iced Judge Boasberg's contempt hearings until at least the New Year. And they want to know whether he has the power to investigate contempt at all or must refer it to DOJ. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 15, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Judges Rao/Katsas have iced Judge Boasberg's contempt hearings until at least the New Year. And they want to know whether he has the power to investigate contempt at all or must refer it to DOJ. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
JUST IN: Judge Boasberg won’t back off his planned contempt hearings next week and says the crime-fraud exception would overcome potential privileges. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 12, 2025 at 7:23 PM
JUST IN: Judge Boasberg won’t back off his planned contempt hearings next week and says the crime-fraud exception would overcome potential privileges. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
MORE: Xinis has *granted* the emergency order storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 12, 2025 at 1:05 PM
MORE: Xinis has *granted* the emergency order storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Judge Xinis ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s release in part bc ICE could not produce a final “order of removal” to deport him. So last night, they went out and got an immigration judge to issue one.
Now, Abrego is urging Xinis to block his redetention. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Now, Abrego is urging Xinis to block his redetention. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 12, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Judge Xinis ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s release in part bc ICE could not produce a final “order of removal” to deport him. So last night, they went out and got an immigration judge to issue one.
Now, Abrego is urging Xinis to block his redetention. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Now, Abrego is urging Xinis to block his redetention. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
NEW: Judge Xinis said the administration misrepresented Costa Rica's willingness to accept Abrego Garcia and also failed to produce a "final order of removal" necessary to deport him at all.
His detention under those circumstances is illegal, she said.
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
His detention under those circumstances is illegal, she said.
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
December 11, 2025 at 4:18 PM
NEW: Judge Xinis said the administration misrepresented Costa Rica's willingness to accept Abrego Garcia and also failed to produce a "final order of removal" necessary to deport him at all.
His detention under those circumstances is illegal, she said.
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
His detention under those circumstances is illegal, she said.
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
BREAKING: A federal judge has ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia's immediate release from ICE custody.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 11, 2025 at 3:39 PM
BREAKING: A federal judge has ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia's immediate release from ICE custody.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
JUST IN: A federal judge has blocked DHS from enforcing a new prohibition on “unusual noise” outside a government building in Oregon, saying it unconstitutionally criminalizes and chills free speech storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 10, 2025 at 11:38 PM
JUST IN: A federal judge has blocked DHS from enforcing a new prohibition on “unusual noise” outside a government building in Oregon, saying it unconstitutionally criminalizes and chills free speech storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
DOJ makes it clear: If Judge Boasberg wants to pursue a contempt case against Kristi Noem, he's going to have to pierce privileged conversations she had with Blanche, Bove and DHS lawyers – something DOJ says shoudl only happen at a trial. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 10, 2025 at 8:51 PM
DOJ makes it clear: If Judge Boasberg wants to pursue a contempt case against Kristi Noem, he's going to have to pierce privileged conversations she had with Blanche, Bove and DHS lawyers – something DOJ says shoudl only happen at a trial. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
The Center for Biological Diversity is suing the Trump administration to have Trump's face removed from national parks passes. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 10, 2025 at 8:03 PM
The Center for Biological Diversity is suing the Trump administration to have Trump's face removed from national parks passes. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
A D.C. Circuit panel sides with Hegseth on transgender military ban, saying Judge Reyes' attempt to block it didn't accord the seretary enough deference.
Majority:
Katsas (Trump)
Rao (Trump)
Dissent:
Pillard (Obama)
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Majority:
Katsas (Trump)
Rao (Trump)
Dissent:
Pillard (Obama)
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 9, 2025 at 6:52 PM
A D.C. Circuit panel sides with Hegseth on transgender military ban, saying Judge Reyes' attempt to block it didn't accord the seretary enough deference.
Majority:
Katsas (Trump)
Rao (Trump)
Dissent:
Pillard (Obama)
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Majority:
Katsas (Trump)
Rao (Trump)
Dissent:
Pillard (Obama)
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
JUST IN: DOJ confirms Trump asserted executive privilege to shield more than 4,100 documents form police and lawmakers suing him over the Jan. 6 riot.
Our earlier story on the privilege claim: www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
Our earlier story on the privilege claim: www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
December 8, 2025 at 10:57 PM
JUST IN: DOJ confirms Trump asserted executive privilege to shield more than 4,100 documents form police and lawmakers suing him over the Jan. 6 riot.
Our earlier story on the privilege claim: www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
Our earlier story on the privilege claim: www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
JUST IN: Judge Boasberg says it'd be "premature" to refer Kristi Noem for a contempt prosecution but orders testimony next week from DOJ whistleblower Erez Rueveni and Deputy Assistant AG Drew Ensign. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 8, 2025 at 8:57 PM
JUST IN: Judge Boasberg says it'd be "premature" to refer Kristi Noem for a contempt prosecution but orders testimony next week from DOJ whistleblower Erez Rueveni and Deputy Assistant AG Drew Ensign. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
It happened again: The Trump administration has admitted illegally deporting a man to Guatemala despite an immigration judge's order that he was likely to be tortured there.
A judge has ordered the administration to facilitate his return by next week.storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
A judge has ordered the administration to facilitate his return by next week.storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 6, 2025 at 2:54 AM
It happened again: The Trump administration has admitted illegally deporting a man to Guatemala despite an immigration judge's order that he was likely to be tortured there.
A judge has ordered the administration to facilitate his return by next week.storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
A judge has ordered the administration to facilitate his return by next week.storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
JUST IN: Judge Sooknanan has rejected DOJ's effort to dismiss a lawsuit brought by immigration detainees at Guanatanamo Bay, saying the plaintiffs made a plausible claim that the policy is illegal and punitive. ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
December 5, 2025 at 8:40 PM
JUST IN: Judge Sooknanan has rejected DOJ's effort to dismiss a lawsuit brought by immigration detainees at Guanatanamo Bay, saying the plaintiffs made a plausible claim that the policy is illegal and punitive. ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
In her dissent, Judge Pan says the emerging view of executive power by Trump and his backers in the courts "concentrates excessive power in the President and thus paves the way to autocracy." storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 5, 2025 at 3:23 PM
In her dissent, Judge Pan says the emerging view of executive power by Trump and his backers in the courts "concentrates excessive power in the President and thus paves the way to autocracy." storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
JUST IN: A 2-1 panel of the D.C. Circuit rules that Trump may remove members of the NLRB or MSPB regardless of laws meant to shield them from removal without cause.
Majority: Rao (Trump), Katsas (Trump)
Dissent: Pan (Biden)
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Majority: Rao (Trump), Katsas (Trump)
Dissent: Pan (Biden)
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 5, 2025 at 3:21 PM
JUST IN: A 2-1 panel of the D.C. Circuit rules that Trump may remove members of the NLRB or MSPB regardless of laws meant to shield them from removal without cause.
Majority: Rao (Trump), Katsas (Trump)
Dissent: Pan (Biden)
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Majority: Rao (Trump), Katsas (Trump)
Dissent: Pan (Biden)
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Pardon historians and experts say there are few — if any — historic parallels to the combination of Trump’s vague blanket pardon and the delegation of its implementation to subordinates. The only one close? Trump’s pardon for Jan. 6 defendants. www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
December 4, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Pardon historians and experts say there are few — if any — historic parallels to the combination of Trump’s vague blanket pardon and the delegation of its implementation to subordinates. The only one close? Trump’s pardon for Jan. 6 defendants. www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
JUST IN: The NY Times lawsuit names names, saying the Pentagon's new press restrictions violate the First Amendment by forcing out journalists who ask adversarial questions and replacing them with avowed MAGA supporters. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 4, 2025 at 11:12 AM
JUST IN: The NY Times lawsuit names names, saying the Pentagon's new press restrictions violate the First Amendment by forcing out journalists who ask adversarial questions and replacing them with avowed MAGA supporters. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
A federal judge has denied a woman's lawsuit claiming that when she was 11, she wrote letter to Starburst's parent company inventing the concept of the two-flavor "Duo" ... only for the company to steal it decades later. ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
December 3, 2025 at 8:25 PM
A federal judge has denied a woman's lawsuit claiming that when she was 11, she wrote letter to Starburst's parent company inventing the concept of the two-flavor "Duo" ... only for the company to steal it decades later. ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
The arrests — often at courthouses or ICE check-ins — have led to a surge of litigation. But that could be changing: a judge in California last week granted a national class action, and judges in MA and CO have certified statewide classes. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 28, 2025 at 12:16 PM
The arrests — often at courthouses or ICE check-ins — have led to a surge of litigation. But that could be changing: a judge in California last week granted a national class action, and judges in MA and CO have certified statewide classes. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
The cases have surged as ICE reclassified millions who have resided in the United States for years as “arriving aliens” or “applicants for admission” — making them subject to mandatory detention typically meant for those who just crossed the border. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 28, 2025 at 12:13 PM
The cases have surged as ICE reclassified millions who have resided in the United States for years as “arriving aliens” or “applicants for admission” — making them subject to mandatory detention typically meant for those who just crossed the border. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Those judges have ruled against the administration more than 700 times since ICE implemented its draconian new policy on July 8.
Only 8 judges have side with ICE’s position. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Only 8 judges have side with ICE’s position. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 28, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Those judges have ruled against the administration more than 700 times since ICE implemented its draconian new policy on July 8.
Only 8 judges have side with ICE’s position. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Only 8 judges have side with ICE’s position. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
NEW: ICE’s policy of mass detaining immigrants w pending deportation proceedings has led to an avalanche of rejections in court.
More than 220 judges — including 23 Trump appointees — have called it an illegal distortion of long-settled law. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
More than 220 judges — including 23 Trump appointees — have called it an illegal distortion of long-settled law. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 28, 2025 at 12:06 PM
NEW: ICE’s policy of mass detaining immigrants w pending deportation proceedings has led to an avalanche of rejections in court.
More than 220 judges — including 23 Trump appointees — have called it an illegal distortion of long-settled law. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
More than 220 judges — including 23 Trump appointees — have called it an illegal distortion of long-settled law. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Rep. Eric Swalwell's lawsuit against Bil PULTE has been assigned to ... Judge Boasberg.
November 26, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Rep. Eric Swalwell's lawsuit against Bil PULTE has been assigned to ... Judge Boasberg.
BREAKING: The case against Donald Trump in Georgia is officially dead.
The prosecutor who took it over recently has moved to drop it – and Judge McAfee has granted the motion.
s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
The prosecutor who took it over recently has moved to drop it – and Judge McAfee has granted the motion.
s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
November 26, 2025 at 4:10 PM
BREAKING: The case against Donald Trump in Georgia is officially dead.
The prosecutor who took it over recently has moved to drop it – and Judge McAfee has granted the motion.
s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
The prosecutor who took it over recently has moved to drop it – and Judge McAfee has granted the motion.
s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26...