First Amendment

  • Satanic Group Leader Arrested During Statehouse Scuffle Over Black Mass Ban

    The leader of a Kansas-based Satanic organization and three others were arrested Friday following a physical altercation inside the Kansas Statehouse. The confrontation erupted after the group’s leader, Michael Stewart, attempted to conduct a Black Mass ceremony in the rotunda, despite a temporary ban on protests inside the building, CNN reported. Stewart, president of the…

  • Why the U.S. Has Been Added List Of Countries Experiencing Decline In Civic Freedoms: Legal and Civic Implications

    The United States has been added to the CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist of countries experiencing a significant decline in civic freedoms due to executive overreach under the Trump administration. The move has raised concerns among civil rights organizations, legal experts, and global democratic institutions about the potential erosion of constitutional freedoms. What is the CIVICUS Monitor…

  • U.S. Supreme Court to Rule on State Bans of Conversion Therapy for LGBTQ+ Youth

    The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case challenging the constitutionality of state and local bans on conversion therapy, a controversial practice aimed at changing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The case, originating from Colorado, could have significant implications for free speech rights and professional healthcare regulations nationwide. The lawsuit was…

  • Federal Judge Halts Deportation of Palestinian Student Activist Mahmoud Khalil

    A federal judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student and legal U.S. resident, who was detained by immigration officials and transferred to a Louisiana detention facility. The case has drawn significant legal and political attention, raising concerns over due process and First Amendment protections. U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman…

  • US Immigration Agents Detain Palestinian Student Leader at Columbia University

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia University graduate and Palestinian student leader, on Saturday, according to a statement from Student Workers of Columbia. Khalil was inside a Columbia University-owned residence when ICE agents entered his apartment and took him into custody. According to his attorney, Amy Greer, ICE…

  • Elon Musk’s X Reaches $10 Million Settlement in Trump’s Lawsuit Over Twitter Ban

    Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), has reached a $10 million settlement in the lawsuit filed by Donald Trump over his account’s suspension following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. According to The Wall Street Journal, a federal appellate court recently approved a voluntary dismissal of the lawsuit, with both parties agreeing to…

  • Trump Issues Executive Order To End ‘Anti-Christian Bias,’ Raising Legal Concerns

    The Trump administration issued an executive order on Thursday, February 6, 2025, directing federal agencies to review and eliminate policies perceived as discriminatory against Christians, sparking debate over its legal and constitutional implications. The order establishes a two-year task force, chaired by the Attorney General, to examine Biden-era policies and recommend revocations of any federal…

  • Baltimore and Civil Rights Groups File Lawsuit to Overturn Trump Executive Orders Ending DEI Programs

    The city of Baltimore and three civil rights organizations have, in a bold legal move, filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn two recent executive orders issued by the Trump administration aimed at ending federal diversity programs. Filed Monday, February 3, 2025, the lawsuit targets the orders as unconstitutional, arguing that they violate core constitutional…

  • January 19 Looms for TikTok’s U.S. Ban Decision: This Is What We Know So Far

    In a high-stakes legal showdown, TikTok appeared before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Monday to challenge a nationwide ban set to take effect on Jan. 19, 2025. The app, which boasts 170 million American users, faces allegations that its parent company, ByteDance, poses a national security risk due to its…

  • Trump Seeks Delay of TikTok Ban Amid National Security and First Amendment Concerns

    In a dramatic legal move, President-elect Donald Trump has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to pause the enforcement of a controversial TikTok ban set to take effect on Jan. 19, just one day before his inauguration. The request places him in direct opposition to the Biden administration, which has defended the law, arguing that the…