Courts & Litigation

Just Security’s expert authors offer analysis and informational resources on key litigation impacting national security, rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Our content spans domestic and international litigation, from cases at the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and other international and regional tribunals, to those in U.S. courts involving executive branch actions, transnational litigation, and more.

Highlights:

Habeas Corpus and Legal Protections

Immigration Habeas Tracker: Government Obstruction, Judicial Trust, and Accountability

A comprehensive study of immigration habeas litigation from the second Trump administration, assessing how courts responded to protect judicial authority and individual rights.
A view of the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on June 25, 2026. The US Supreme Court on Thursday backed a Trump administration move to strip deportation protections from some 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians living in the United States. The conservative-dominated court, in a 6-3 ruling, said the Department of Homeland Security's decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian and Syrian immigrants was not subject to judicial review.

Sanitized and Unreviewable: Unpacking the Supreme Court’s Mullin v Doe on Ending Temporary Protected Status for 1.3m Noncitizens

Leading immigration expert unpacks the Supreme Court's ruling on temporary protected status for Haitian and Syrian residents in U.S.
Gavel and scales with a US flag in the background as symbols of a jurisdiction.

Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions

A public resource tracking all the legal challenges to the Trump administration's executive orders and actions.
Several people wearing various colors of t-shirts, including bright orange or black, stand with signs at the base of tall columns, the photo shot from below, with banners between the columns behind them reading "Jimmy Kimmel Live"

How Defending Free Speech Can Unite Unlikely Allies

The Trump administration's threats to First Amendment rights have inspired a broad front defending free speech, freedom of the press, protest rights and more.

Fencing with Fourth Amendment: Unpacking the Supreme Court’s Chatrie Decision

Chatrie stands as an important but narrow reaffirmation of the Supreme Court’s determination not to let technology overwhelm all privacy expectations in the digital age.
Border Patrol agents patrol along the US-Mexico border at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, on February 18, 2026.

Abandoning Principles: Unpacking the Supreme Court’s Mullin v. Al Otro Lado Denying Asylum to Arriving Migrants

How the Roberts Court interpreted a simple statutory phrase to give the executive branch license to undercut asylum protections at the U.S. border.
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A man walks in front of the Supreme Court building at dusk.

Seeking Justice the Day After SCOTUS Killed the Alien Tort Statute

As surely as day follows night, survivors will continue their quest for justice and accountability. The Supreme Court’s decision marks the end of an era, but a new dawn awaits.
Illustration of silhouetted Supreme Court justices: the six-justice majority and three dissenting justices in Cisco Systems v. Doe.

Supreme Court Closes the Door on the Alien Tort Statute

Unpacking the Supreme Court opinion in Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Doe.
The Declaration on Independence as seen on aging paper.

Reflections from Today’s Judiciary on the Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence

Many actions taken by the current administration echo the grievances laid out in the Declaration of Independence against King George III.
Exterior view of the U.S. Supreme Court Building on June 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Supreme Court Justices are expected to release opinions throughout the week.

In Blanche v. Lau, the Supreme Court Rewards the Solicitor General’s Bait-and-Switch at Green Card Holders’ Expense

Lawful permanent residents are left to wonder when it is safe to travel for business, family reasons, or pleasure without jeopardizing their status and day-to-day lives.
A police officer in a dark blue uniform, his back to the camera, wears a bulletproof vest reading INTERPOL, as he walks through an airy hall with light-colored flooring, a few white counters and a large green plant at the left of the image.

Why Interpol’s Member Nations Should Reject Its New Privileges and Immunities Agreement

The accord would make it easier for autocrats to abuse Interpol’s famous Red Notices and other mechanisms to persecute those seeking refuge abroad from repression at home.

Looking Back at Humphrey’s Executor

On the forgotten history of the Supreme Court's Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, a cornerstone of the administrative state.
​Close up of Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche testif​ying during a House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing​.

Blanche Is Targeting the D.C. Bar to Remove Ethical Guardrails for the Justice Department

Legal ethics expert warns Acting AG Todd Blanche's lawsuit against the DC Bar is part of a broader campaign to free DOJ lawyers from the ethical rules governing their peers.
An election observer coordinator for the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder stands on a walkway overlooking the Los Angeles County Ballot Processing Center in City of Industry, California, as workers process ballots during the June 2026 California state primary election.

The Last Check: Magistrate Judges and Federal Seizures of Election Records

A magistrate judge's review of a search-warrant application may be the last meaningful safeguard against federal interference in an election.
People attend a Trans Day of Visibility rally in Washington, DC, on March 31, 2025.

The Collateral Damage of Anti-Trans Policymaking

From healthcare bans to funding cuts, the consequences of hate-driven policymaking opposing transgender rights ripple broadly across communities.
A bronze sign marks the visitors' entrance to the U.S. Trade Representative's office on August 18, 2024, in Washington, DC.

The Cynicism Behind the Administration’s Proposed Forced Labor Tariffs

The labor issues the U.S. Trade Representative claims to investigate are real problems. They should not become pretexts for tariffs the administration already wants.
James Boasberg, chief judge of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, attends a panel discussion at the annual American Board Association (ABA) Spring Antitrust Meeting.

The Continuing Saga of Chief Judge Boasberg’s Contempt of Court Inquiry Involving Todd Blanche and Emil Bove

Options for the DC Circuit en banc in these contempt of court proceedings.
Humpback whales as seen from above swimming in blue water

Going Dark: Why Dismantling America’s Ocean Sensors Is a Security Risk

Shutting off ocean observation will reduce the United States' ability to see and respond to developments in fast-changing seas.
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