Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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Maggie Blackhawk @maggieblackhawk.bsky.social · 1h

"The colonists sought not just territory, but unchallenged dominion. To achieve this, they needed to erase the legitimacy of Native governance and justify dispossession. It was precisely because Natives mirrored the colonists’ own ideals (autonomy, law, liberty) that they had to be cast as savages."

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Reposted by Nina Henry

Maggie Blackhawk @maggieblackhawk.bsky.social · 1h

New essay in the Atlantic today: How Native Nations Shaped the Revolution by Ned Blackhawk (with many lessons on how we ended up where we are as a nation, and a gift link) www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...

How Native Nations Shaped the Revolution

The Founders were inspired—and threatened—by the independence and self-governance of nations like the Iroquois Confederacy.

www.theatlantic.com

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Nina Henry @ninagrace.bsky.social · 14h

Today is your daily reminder that queer kids are absolutely perfect just the way they are. Pass it on.

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Reposted by Nina Henry

CAC @myconstitution.bsky.social · 1d

The First Amendment doesn't prevent states from being able to protect their residents from harmful "conversion therapy." Read more from CAC's Praveen Fernandes in @bloomberglaw.com: news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

Conversion Therapy Ban Case Tests Traditional State Police Power

A therapist’s challenge to Colorado’s ban on treatment the state says harms LGBTQ+ youths may seem like just the next battle in the culture wars, but the case presents the US Supreme Court with an opp...

news.bloomberglaw.com

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Reposted by Nina Henry

CAC @myconstitution.bsky.social · 1d

Trump can’t unilaterally withhold federal funding from sanctuary jurisdictions. Read our brief explaining why courts should be able to review plaintiffs’ constitutional challenge to the administration’s actions: www.theusconstitution.org/litigation/s...

San Francisco v. Trump | Constitutional Accountability Center

www.theusconstitution.org

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Reposted by Nina Henry

CAC @myconstitution.bsky.social · 1d

"When the Roberts court examines the Constitution’s text and history, it has privileged white male voices. But if it wants to be faithful to constitutional text and history in Callais, it will have to broaden the lens." Read CAC's @davidhgans.bsky.social in @slate.com: slate.com/news-and-pol...

The Supreme Court Is Being Tested on History Once Again

The leading arguments in support of Black voting rights were race-conscious at their core.

slate.com

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Reposted by Nina Henry

David H. Gans @davidhgans.bsky.social · 1d

You can't understand the Reconstruction Amendments without grappling with the work of the Black conventions that eloquently spoke to the constitutional aspirations of Black Americans. Read my latest piece @slate.com on how Black Americans won the right to vote: slate.com/news-and-pol...

The Supreme Court Is Being Tested on History Once Again

The leading arguments in support of Black voting rights were race-conscious at their core.

slate.com

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Nina Henry @ninagrace.bsky.social · 1d

Super interesting and relevant scholarship from my brilliant colleague David on how Black voting rights advocates shaped our Constitution during Reconstruction:

CAC @myconstitution.bsky.social · 1d

"When the Roberts court examines the Constitution’s text and history, it has privileged white male voices. But if it wants to be faithful to constitutional text and history in Callais, it will have to broaden the lens." Read CAC's @davidhgans.bsky.social in @slate.com: slate.com/news-and-pol...

The Supreme Court Is Being Tested on History Once Again

The leading arguments in support of Black voting rights were race-conscious at their core.

slate.com

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Reposted by Nina Henry

CAC @myconstitution.bsky.social · 2d

Today, #SCOTUS is considering whether Colorado can prohibit licensed mental health professionals from practicing harmful “conversion therapy” on young people. Read our brief explaining that states can protect their residents from such dangerous practices: www.theusconstitution.org/litigation/c...

Chiles v. Salazar | Constitutional Accountability Center

www.theusconstitution.org

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Reposted by Nina Henry

CAC @myconstitution.bsky.social · 2d

CAC is hiring! Join our work to realize the progressive promise of the Constitution as a Paralegal & Research Associate: www.theusconstitution.org/paralegal-an...

Paralegal and Research Associate | Constitutional Accountability Center

CAC is hiring for a Paralegal and Research Associate.

www.theusconstitution.org

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Reposted by Nina Henry

CAC @myconstitution.bsky.social · 2d

CAC is hiring legal interns for Summer 2026! If you're a law student who's passionate about the progressive promise of our Constitution, apply to join our team: www.theusconstitution.org/legal-intern...

Legal Internship Summer 2026 | Constitutional Accountability Center

CAC is accepting applications for the Summer 2026 10-week, sponsored legal internship.

www.theusconstitution.org

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Reposted by Nina Henry

CAC @myconstitution.bsky.social · 3d

Tomorrow, #SCOTUS is considering if Colorado can prohibit licensed mental health professionals from practicing harmful “conversion therapy” on young people. Read our brief explaining that states can protect their residents from such dangerous practices: www.theusconstitution.org/litigation/c...

Chiles v. Salazar | Constitutional Accountability Center

www.theusconstitution.org

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Reposted by Nina Henry

CAC @myconstitution.bsky.social · 3d

The First Circuit is right—some constitutional questions may be difficult, but the scope of the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship is not. www.cbsnews.com/news/federal...

"The analysis that follows is necessarily lengthy, as we
must address the parties' numerous arguments in each of the cases
involved. But the length of our analysis should not be mistaken
for a sign that the fundamental question that these cases raise
about the scope of birthright citizenship is a difficult one. It
is not, which may explain why it has been more than a century since
a branch of our government has made as concerted an effort as the
Executive Branch now makes to deny Americans their birthright."

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Reposted by Nina Henry

CAC @myconstitution.bsky.social · 2d

The Framers guaranteed in the Sixth Amendment that criminal defendants would have the right to the assistance of counsel. Read @anabuiles.bsky.social's full reaction to today's oral argument at #SCOTUS: www.theusconstitution.org/news/release...

RELEASE: Supreme Court Considers the Scope of a Defendant’s Sixth Amendment Right to Counsel | Constitutional Accountability Center

WASHINGTON, DC – Following oral argument at the Supreme Court this morning in Villarreal v. Texas, a case in which the Supreme Court is considering whether a defendant’s constitutional right to assist...

www.theusconstitution.org

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Reposted by Nina Henry

CAC @myconstitution.bsky.social · 6d

Next Monday, a new term at #SCOTUS begins. CAC has filed in five important cases before the Court in October: 🧵

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Reposted by Nina Henry

Tom “T.M.” Wolf @tomtmwolf.bsky.social · 5d

BREAKING -- 1st Cir. says Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship REMAINS BLOCKED.

Opinion includes a helpful TL;DR:

Don't mistake the length of our answer for the existence of a real question. Birthright citizenship is broad-based and it's sacred. @brennancenter.org

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Nina Henry @ninagrace.bsky.social · 10d

One of these amazing ladies turns up in the "where are they now" montage STILL ALIVE AT 105, but I will not tell you which one! You have to read the book!

Nina Henry @ninagrace.bsky.social · 10d

Pics came in from the first half marathon on the renovated femur! It's the 0.1 that gets you.

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Reposted by Nina Henry

Joanna Schwartz @jcschwartzprof.bsky.social · 10d

Justice Kavanaugh: “If the person is a U. S. citizen or otherwise lawfully
in the United States, that individual will be free to go after the brief encounter.”

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 10d

79. American citizen.

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Anil Kalhan @akalhan.bsky.social · 12d

What we might refer to as a "Kavanaugh Stop"

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 14d

WOW. The lead plaintiff is a Latino man who's been here legally for 24 years. He was grabbed off the street by plainclothes federal agents who didn't even ASK about his status.

He was detained overnight and only released once a supervisor realized he had been illegally arrested.

PARTIES3. Plaintiff José Escobar Molina is a 47-year-old man who has lived in D.C. for 25 years. He has maintained valid Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) for El Salvador since 2001. On August 21, 2025, Mr. Escobar Molina was walking from his apartment building in Northwest D.C.to his work truck, about to start his workday, when two cars pulled up next to him. As he was about to get into his truck, plain-clothed and unidentified federal agents exited the cars and—without conducting any inquiry—seized Mr. Escobar Molina, grabbing him by the arms and legs and immediately handcuffing him. The agents arrested him without a warrant and without asking for his name, his identification, or anything about his immigration status. The agents also did not ask him where he lives, whom he lives with, how long he has lived here, or anything else about his ties to the community prior to arresting him. After ICE detained Mr. Escobar Molina overnight at its processing center in Chantilly, Virginia, the next day an ICE supervisor finally realized that he had valid TPS, which statutorily prohibits ICE from detaining him, and released him. Due tohis Latino ethnicity, Mr. Escobar Molina fears being arrested and detained again while going about his daily life in D.C.

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Reposted by Nina Henry

Kelsey Reichmann @kelseyreichmann.bsky.social · 12d

Leading the dissent, Kagan laments that her colleagues continue to use the shadow docket to decide novel issues.

She called Trump's actions "essentially, a presidential usurpation of Congress's power of the purse."
@courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/supreme-cour...

Supreme Court sides with Trump in foreign aid funding debacle

A months-long fight over foreign aid contracts put President Trump’s effort to seize funding authority before the high court.

www.courthousenews.com

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Nina Henry @ninagrace.bsky.social · 12d

Went for a really pretty run, came back to more shadow docket news. That’ll teach ME to stop doom scrolling for 5 minutes.

Sunset over the Reflecting Pool viewed from the Lincoln Memorial

A view of the bridge between Arlington and the Lincoln Memorial, with the Washington Monument in the distance

Looking up at sunset clouds through the tree canopy

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Reposted by Nina Henry

Brianne Gorod @briannegorod.bsky.social · 12d

President Trump's repeated attempts to usurp Congress's power of the purse are plainly unconsitutional, as constitutional text and history make clear. Read @myconstitution.bsky.social's amicus brief to learn more about this history & why Trump's actions violate the separation of powers. 2/2

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Reposted by Nina Henry

Brianne Gorod @briannegorod.bsky.social · 12d

"In 'defining the ... powers' of the new nation, the American Founders firmly rejected the historic 'Prerogatives of the British Monarch.' ... [T]here was no question that Congress would be granted the powers to tax, spend, and appropriate funds." 1/2

CAC @myconstitution.bsky.social · 12d

Our Constitution gives Congress, not the President, the power of the purse. Yet President Trump is unlawfully trying to defund institutions that provide young people with the gender-affirming care they need. Read our amicus brief: www.theusconstitution.org/litigation/p...

PFLAG v. Trump | Constitutional Accountability Center

www.theusconstitution.org

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Nina Henry @ninagrace.bsky.social · 12d

I have… a lot of thoughts on this one. But for now, please just read this: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/20/o...

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