News from the South - Arkansas News Feed
Trump administration loses in two courtrooms in one day on deportations
by Ariana Figueroa, Arkansas Advocate
May 6, 2025
WASHINGTON — Two federal judges Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport Venezuelans, limiting the rulings to Colorado and a New York district.
U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York Alvin K. Hellerstein found that President Donald Trump’s invocation of the wartime law was likely not valid, because there is no “existence of a ‘war,’ ‘invasion’ or ‘predatory incursion,’” as required by the Alien Enemies Act statute.
A similar order was made by U.S. District Judge for the District of Colorado Charlotte N. Sweeney, who noted the Trump administration likely exceeded the scope of the Alien Enemies Act in its use of it.
Hellerstein, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton, also reiterated in his order that anyone in the United States – including those who are not citizens – is entitled to due process.
He noted that the Venezuelan nationals subject to the Alien Enemies Act were deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador, CECOT, “with faint hope of process or return.”
“The sweep for removal is ongoing, extending to the litigants in this case and others, thwarted only by order of this and other federal courts,” Hellerstein wrote. “The destination, El Salvador, a country paid to take our aliens, is neither the country from which the aliens came, nor to which they wish to be removed. But they are taken there, and there to remain, indefinitely, in a notoriously evil jail, unable to communicate with counsel, family or friends.”
Two Venezuelan men who feared they would be subjected to the proclamation brought the suit in the Southern District of New York. It’s now a class to cover any Venezuelan potentially subject to the proclamation.
Sweeney, who was nominated by former President Joe Biden, also ordered the suit should cover a class of people.
The New York area in which Trump officials would be barred from using the wartime law includes New York City, the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx and Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan and Westchester counties.
Multiple rulings against administration
This is the third preliminary injunction granted by federal judges against Trump’s use of the wartime law in a court’s district. The president invoked the Alien Enemies Act to subject for removal any Venezuelan national 14 and older with suspected ties to the Tren de Aragua gang.
Tuesday’s rulings are similar to another out of Texas, where Trump-appointed Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. struck down the Trump administration’s use of the wartime law to deport Venezuelan nationals in the Southern District of Texas.
The American Civil Liberties Union, which is at the forefront of challenges against the Trump administration’s use in March of the Alien Enemies Act, praised the preliminary injunction in New York.
“The court joined several others in correctly recognizing the president cannot simply declare that there’s been an invasion and then invoke a wartime authority during peacetime to send individuals to a Gulag-type prison in El Salvador without even giving them due process,” said Lee Gelernt, lead ACLU attorney on the case.
The ACLU has filed lawsuits against the use of the wartime law in federal courts in Colorado, Georgia, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington, D.C.
Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com.
The post Trump administration loses in two courtrooms in one day on deportations appeared first on arkansasadvocate.com
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Left-Leaning
The content presents a clear ideological stance critical of the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act. The tone is largely unfavorable toward the administration, emphasizing the legal challenges and the actions of federal judges who blocked the use of the law. The framing of the Venezuelans’ deportation to El Salvador as a violation of due process and a “Gulag-type” prison, alongside the ACLU’s opposition, conveys a left-leaning stance that emphasizes human rights and legal protections. The inclusion of specific legal critiques from judges appointed by both Democratic and Republican presidents further strengthens the perception of opposition to the policy from various judicial perspectives.
News from the South - Arkansas News Feed
Arkansas Fall forecast: Warmer temperatures and drier conditions expected as drought persists
SUMMARY: Arkansas is expected to experience a cooler and more fall-like September, starting meteorological fall on September 1st. The last week of August was among the coolest on record, and early September will continue with below-average temperatures. A cold front later next week will bring further cooling, making the second weekend of football season comfortable. Mid-September temperatures will remain fairly mild, with highs dropping from mid-80s to mid-70s in Northwest Arkansas and from low 90s to low 80s in the River Valley by month’s end. Fall colors should appear earlier than last year, likely peaking from late October to early November.
The Climate Prediction Center released its outlook for Fall, which shows above-average temperatures continuing through November.
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News from the South - Arkansas News Feed
Sylvan Hills defeats Maumelle in Zero Week thriller
SUMMARY: Sylvan Hills ended a 20-game losing streak by defeating Maumelle 55-54 in a thrilling zero-week high school football game. Despite trailing at times, the Bears showcased resilience with key plays from Bubba Johnson and Tyler Hampton, tying the game 28-28 at halftime. Maumelle’s Levi Warrior made impressive catches, keeping the Hornets competitive. In the closing seconds, Maumelle nearly secured the win, but a controversial goal-line stop gave Sylvan Hills the victory. This dramatic opener signals an exciting 2025 season ahead, marking Sylvan Hills’ first win in two years and an intense start for both teams.
Sylvan Hills breaks a 20 game losing streak with a 55-54 win over.
News from the South - Arkansas News Feed
Judge orders Central Arkansas district to remove Ten Commandments displays
by Antoinette Grajeda, Arkansas Advocate
August 28, 2025
A federal judge Thursday evening ordered the Conway School District to remove Ten Commandments posters from classrooms and libraries, less than 24 hours after the district was added to a lawsuit challenging a state law requiring the displays.
Act 573 of 2025 requires public schools to “prominently display” a 16”x20” poster or framed copy of a “historical representation” of the Ten Commandments. U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks issued a preliminary injunction earlier this month that blocked enforcement of the law at four Northwest Arkansas school districts — Bentonville, Fayetteville, Springdale and Siloam Springs.
Seven multifaith families who filed the lawsuit against the four districts in June allege the new law violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which guarantees that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” and its Free Exercise Clause, which guarantees that “Congress shall make no law … prohibiting the free exercise [of religion].”
Supporters of the law argue the Ten Commandments are a historical document because they influenced the nation’s founders and their creation of the country’s legal system.
Central Arkansas school district added to Ten Commandments suit
Brooks granted a request from plaintiffs’ attorneys Wednesday to add the Conway School District as a defendant to the case and families from the district who allege they’ve been injured by the district hanging Ten Commandments displays in their children’s schools.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys filed a supplemental complaint adding the new parties to the case Thursday and filed a motion for a temporary restraining order on behalf of two Conway School District families. Brooks granted the temporary restraining order later on Thursday and held the request for a preliminary injunction in abeyance.
“Conway Plaintiffs are identically situated to the original Plaintiffs: They advance the same legal arguments, assert the same constitutional injuries, and request the same relief,” Brooks wrote.
School districts named in the lawsuit and Arkansas attorney general’s office, who intervened in the case, may submit briefs no later than Sept. 8 to address why the current preliminary injunction should not be modified to include the Conway School District, according to the order.
Brooks also temporarily enjoined the Conway School District from enforcing the law and directed the district to remove all the Ten Commandments posters by 5 p.m. Friday.
“Conway School District had every opportunity to do the right thing and respect families’ constitutional rights, but instead chose to defy a clear federal ruling,” ACLU of Arkansas Legal Director John Williams said in a statement. “The court has now made it crystal clear: forcing the Ten Commandments into public school classrooms is unconstitutional. We stand ready to defend the rights of every Arkansan against this kind of government overreach.”
The ACLU of Arkansas is representing the plaintiffs along with the national American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is serving as pro bono counsel.
“I am disappointed in the ruling but will continue to vigorously defend Act 573,” Attorney General Tim Griffin said in a statement.
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Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com.
The post Judge orders Central Arkansas district to remove Ten Commandments displays appeared first on arkansasadvocate.com
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
The content presents a legal challenge to a state law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, emphasizing constitutional concerns and the involvement of civil liberties organizations like the ACLU. While it includes perspectives from supporters of the law, the overall tone and focus on constitutional rights and government overreach align more closely with a center-left viewpoint that prioritizes separation of church and state and individual rights.
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