Henry Gass

3 weeks ago | csmonitor.com | Henry Gass

The Inter-American Foundation has rarely found itself in the headlines, so maybe it was no surprise when Trump administration efforts to effectively close the agency didn’t get much attention either. The administration, after all, was taking similar actions throughout much of the federal government. President Donald Trump reentered the White House promising to make government smaller and more efficient.

1 month ago | csmonitor.com | Henry Gass

Described by Alexander Hamilton as the “weakest” and “least dangerous” branch of government, the federal judiciary has few ways it can enforce its authority. One is the contempt power, which allows a federal judge to compel a party to follow a court order or punish them retrospectively for not following that order.

1 month ago | csmonitor.com | Jackie Valley |Henry Gass |Sophie Hills

The U.S. Supreme Court has taken several swings at the invisible wall separating church and state in public education. Two education cases being heard this month have the potential to either remove a few more bricks, or perhaps pull it down. The legal maneuvers underpinning the lawsuits give the courts an opportunity to profoundly change America’s public schooling system. And, in a twist, opponents of one case include people who favor both religious schooling and public charter schools.

1 month ago | csmonitor.com | Henry Gass

The Trump administration’s running battle with the federal courts reached a critical juncture this week, heightening a constitutional dispute that has defined its first three months in power. President Donald Trump and his deputies have raised the question of whether they need to comply with court orders they disagree with. But developments in a pair of immigration-related cases are raising key questions: Can the executive branch ignore court rulings?

1 month ago | csmonitor.com | Sarah Matusek |Henry Gass

In its hard-driving push to toughen immigration policy, the Trump administration has found an unusual ally: old and at times rarely enforced laws that can be used to further its goals. From an 18th century wartime authority to a World War II-era registration law, President Donald Trump is relying on a wide range of legal powers already on the books. The laws have become prominent tools in his effort to rapidly achieve major changes, including a pledged mass deportation of unauthorized immigrants.