Trump's Executive Orders Target Law Firms for Pro Bono Services, Spark Visa Revocations and Immigration Legal Battles
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President Donald Trump has targeted several major law firms with executive orders, prompting a significant response from the legal community. Firms such as WilmerHale, Jenner & Block, and Perkins Coie have successfully challenged these orders in court, securing temporary restraining orders. However, other firms, including Skadden, Willkie Farr, Milbank, Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Cadwalader, and A&O Shearman, have entered into agreements with the Trump administration to avoid punitive measures. These agreements involve commitments to provide nearly $1 billion in pro bono legal services, primarily to causes supported by Trump, and to alter their hiring practices to align with administration preferences. The negotiations were led by Trump's personal lawyer, Boris Epshteyn, who does not work for the government.
The agreements have sparked controversy and dissent within the legal profession. Some associates have resigned in protest, and there are reports of others considering refusing to participate in firm recruitment efforts. Critics argue that these deals compromise the firms' commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and subject their pro bono programs to presidential approval, potentially conflicting with the firms' historical support for civil rights and social justice causes. The firms have also agreed to support non-profits and to ensure merit-based hiring, while the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has withdrawn requests for information about the firms' DEI policies.
In addition to the law firm disputes, the Trump administration has faced legal challenges over its immigration policies. A federal judge has blocked the termination of the CHNV program, which provides humanitarian parole for citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, citing the policy as a 'Hobson's choice' that forces individuals into illegal status or deportation. Furthermore, the administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport individuals suspected of being part of the Tren de Aragua gang to El Salvador has been contested in court, with claims that the process lacks due process and targets individuals based on mere associations, such as tattoos, rather than criminal activity. This could result in lifetime sentences for those deported.
The administration's actions have also extended to international students, with visa revocations affecting students across various U.S. universities. Over 100 students in California and Texas, and additional students in New Mexico and West Virginia, have had their visa eligibility terminated, prompting criticism from immigration advocates who argue that these moves are intended to intimidate foreign students. In a separate case, Mahmoud Khalil, a legal permanent resident, faces deportation for participating in Gaza protests, despite having no criminal history.
Federal Court to Block Termination of Humanitarian Parole for Citizens of #Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela https://t.co/OTrnbaU2iD @UCLA_CILP #humanitarianaid #parole https://t.co/xdgUdFISbd
A coalition of 21 attorneys general filed briefs in support of WilmerHale and Jenner & Block as the firms challenge retaliatory executive orders, arguing that the directives unconstitutionally punish the firms for representation the president doesn't like. https://t.co/nQQ0Y4NhqV
Trump’s $1 Billion Law Firm Deals Are the Work of His Personal Lawyer
--> Boris Epshteyn, who doesn’t work for the government, has negotiated with a series of law firms to cajole them into entering deals
--> Epshteyn has been indicted in Arizona on charges related to Trump’s 2020 https://t.co/NNSG2JSqTa
At least 118 international students across #Texas universities have had their immigration status altered, with their names removed from the #SEVIS database.
This drastic move, linked to recent political protests, has left students without legal standing, employment eligibility, https://t.co/IA9mDNGY3B
A federal judge could block the massive revocation of the “parole” in the United States for Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan migrants. #Parole #Migración #DerechosHumanos #EstadosUnidos https://t.co/v5Ih5qp7sg
Federal Court to Block Termination of Humanitarian Parole for Citizens of #Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela https://t.co/OTrnbaU2iD @UCLA_CILP #humanitarianaid #parole https://t.co/xdgUdFISbd
