SUMMARY Federal law enforcement officers, including ICE agents, lack absolute immunity from criminal prosecution or civil lawsuits. While qualified immunity may protect agents from some civil liability, it doesn’t apply to criminal cases. Supreme Court precedent consistently limits absolute immunity to specific officials like judges and prosecutors performing core duties, not law enforcement personnel. The short … Read more
SUMMARY Governor Hochul’s December 22, 2025 veto of Senate Bill 8432 limits New York’s LLC Transparency Act to only foreign LLCs registered in New York. Domestic U.S. LLCs are exempt. Foreign LLCs must disclose beneficial owners (25%+ ownership or substantial control) by December 31, 2026, with penalties up to $500 daily for noncompliance. The New … Read more
SUMMARY Trump’s gold card program launched December 10, 2025, allowing foreigners to pay $1 million (or companies $2 million) plus a $15,000 processing fee for expedited U.S. residency through EB-1 or EB-2 visas. The process takes weeks versus six years for traditional EB-5 investor visas. A $5 million Platinum Card is planned, offering 270-day U.S. … Read more
SUMMARY President Trump’s December 11, 2025 executive order attempts to override state AI laws by creating a Justice Department task force to sue states and threatening to withhold federal funding. Legal experts say the order is unconstitutional since only Congress can preempt state laws. The move has united an unusual coalition of MAGA Republicans and … Read more
SUMMARY The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office released new guidance clarifying that AI cannot be listed as an inventor on patents. Only humans can be inventors, regardless of how much AI contributed to creating the invention. AI systems are treated as tools like laboratory equipment or software. The guidance abandons the previous approach that incorrectly applied joint … Read more
SUMMARY Prediction market apps like Kalshi claim federal CFTC regulation as derivatives exchanges exempts them from state gambling laws, allowing nationwide operation even where betting is banned. Seven states issued cease-and-desist orders, arguing these platforms are essentially unlicensed sportsbooks evading state authority and taxes. Courts have split on preliminary injunctions. This federalism clash pits innovation … Read more
SUMMARY If the Supreme Court rules against Trump’s tariff authority under IEEPA, he retains multiple alternatives. These include Section 232 for national security tariffs, Section 301 for unfair trade practices, other statutory provisions and non-tariff barriers. However, these options require more process, justification and targeted application than IEEPA’s sweeping powers. While the President wouldn’t be … Read more
SUMMARY California’s Transparency in Frontier AI Act, enacted September 2025, regulates advanced AI systems requiring over 10^26 computational operations. Companies must publish annual safety frameworks addressing catastrophic risks, disclose model information before release and submit quarterly assessments to regulators. The law includes whistleblower protections and $1 million penalties per violation. It targets major developers like … Read more
SUMMARY The Trump administration has begun demolishing the White House East Wing for a privately funded ballroom without required federal reviews, violating property and historic preservation laws. Congressional and agency enforcement mechanisms are ineffective because the president controls the agencies that would normally stop illegal work. Litigation offers the only realistic enforcement option, but faces … Read more
SUMMARY Former Congressman George Santos served just 84 days of his seven-year federal prison sentence for wire fraud and identity theft before President Trump commuted it in October 2025. Santos, who lied about virtually everything to get elected and stole from donors and family members, walked free based on political loyalty rather than justice, highlighting … Read more
SUMMARY Jawboning refers to government actors using informal threats or regulatory pressure to influence private speech, raising significant First Amendment concerns. The temporary, but very real, suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s show following his remarks about Charlie Kirk’s assassination exemplifies how such pressure creates a chilling effect, effectively silencing speech without direct censorship. Landmark court cases … Read more
SUMMARY Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, during the opening event of his American Comeback Tour. The assailant, Tyler James Robinson, fired from a rooftop and surrendered the next day. The incident sparked national outrage and a political backlash, with President Trump blaming the … Read more