Tag Archives: Massachusetts

NY Times: Paramount to Pay Trump $16 Million to Settle ‘60 Minutes’ Lawsuit

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President Trump had sued over an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. The company needs federal approval for a multibillion-dollar sale.

Another $16M in the Grifter-in-Chief’s pockets. The corruption continues unabated.

Paramount to Pay Trump $16 Million to Settle ‘60 Minutes’ Lawsuit
President Trump had sued over an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. The company needs federal approval for a multibillion-dollar sale.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/02/business/media/paramount-trump-60-minutes-lawsuit.html

Newsweek: Harvard finds international student lifeline amid Trump visa showdown

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The Harvard Kennedy School of Government (HKS) has brokered a deal with the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy to accept foreign students should the Trump administration succeed in blocking Harvard from enrolling them.

In remarks provided to Newsweek via email, HKS Dean Jeremy Weinstein thanked the Munk School—”and other partners”—for their help “to ensure that we can continue to provide all HKS students with the excellent education they deserve.

Harvard finds international student lifeline amid Trump visa showdown
The Harvard Kennedy School of Government has worked out a contingency plan for students should the Trump administration succeed in blocking enrollment.

https://www.newsweek.com/harvard-finds-international-student-lifeline-trump-visa-showdown-2091869

The Nation: The Supreme Court Just Cosigned One of Trump’s Most Lawless Immigration Moves

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Deporting people to countries where they might be tortured or killed? All good, according to the six GOP justices.

Deporting people to countries where they might be tortured or killed? All good, according to the six GOP justices.

I always knew that Donald Trump’s unhinged cruelty toward immigrants would find aid and comfort among the Republicans on the Supreme Court. But I held out hope that his brazen violations of lower-court orders might give the Republicans pause before greenlighting Trump’s continued terror campaign against people who didn’t happen to be born here.

On Monday, that small sliver of hope was dashed. The Supreme Court issued a ruling from its emergency docket allowing Trump to send immigrants to third-party countries—even ones where they might be tortured and killed. The Republican order violates this country’s constitutional grant of due process, international human rights laws, literal treaties to which this country is a signatory, and basic human decency. In other words, it was a bog-standard Republican Supreme Court ruling.

The Supreme Court Just Cosigned One of Trump’s Most Lawless Immigration Moves
Deporting people to countries where they might be tortured or killed? All good, according to the six GOP justices.

https://www.thenation.com/article/society/supreme-court-trump-deportations

NBC News: Trump administration accuses judge of ‘unprecedented defiance’ of Supreme Court in immigration dispute

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The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to clarify a decision Monday that paved the way for the government to quickly deport criminal immigrants to “third countries.”

 fight over the fate of six migrants the Trump administration wants to deport to South Sudan flared up again on Tuesday as the Justice Department accused a federal judge of “unprecedented defiance” of a Supreme Court decision the previous day.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer filed a motion at the Supreme Court seeking clarification of the Monday evening decision that lifted nationwide restrictions on the administration’s ability to send convicted criminals to “third countries” they have no connection to.

Immediately after the Supreme Court action, Massachusetts-based U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, who is presiding over the litigation, said in a docket entry he did not believe that a May 21 order he issued that prevented the six people being sent to South Sudan had been blocked by the justices. The detainees are currently being held in a U.S. facility in Djibouti.

Murphy’s understanding was that the high court had blocked only his earlier ruling that set nationwide rules giving those affected a “meaningful opportunity” to bring claims that they would be at risk of torture, persecution or death if they were sent to countries the administration has made deals with to receive deported immigrants.

The Supreme Court itself did not explain its decision and did not specify which of Murphy’s rulings were blocked. But liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who wrote a dissenting opinion, said she did not think Murphy’s May 21 decision was affected.

Trump administration accuses judge of ‘unprecedented defiance’ of Supreme Court in immigration dispute
The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to clarify a decision Monday that paved the way for the government to quickly deport criminal immigrants to “third countries.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/trump-administration-accuses-judge-unprecedented-defiance-supreme-cour-rcna214735

Miami Herald: ‘Have We No Shame’: Judge’s Swift Ruling Defies Trump

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A federal judge in Boston declared that President Donald Trump’s termination of NIH research grants was unlawful. He described the action as “arbitrary and capricious.” Judge William Young’s ruling alleges potential racial bias and condemns the administration’s approach to diversity matters.

Young urged government officials to clarify the meaning of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) during a hearing. He raised concerns over canceled grants targeting health disparities and noted a troubling pattern of discrimination against racial minorities and the LGBTQ community.

Young said, “I’ve never seen government racial discrimination like this.” Young added, “Have we no shame.” He added, “This represents racial discrimination and discrimination against America’s LGBTQ community.”

‘Have We No Shame’: Judge’s Swift Ruling Defies Trump
More for You

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/have-we-no-shame-judge-s-swift-ruling-defies-trump/ss-AA1HcuZk

NBC News: Judge again blocks Trump administration from halting Harvard’s enrolling international students

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A federal judge directed the Trump administration to restore “every visa holder and applicant to the position that individual would have been” before the ban was enacted.

A federal judge in Massachusetts on Friday further blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to revoke Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students while giving those students additional legal protections.

U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs issued the preliminary injunction after having granted a temporary restraining order against the federal government this month.

The injunction holds that the administration is blocked from yanking Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, which was based on a May 22 revocation notice the Department of Homeland Security sent to Harvard administrators.

In her decision, Burroughs directed the government to “immediately” prepare guidance to alert Trump administration officials to disregard that notice and to restore “every visa holder and applicant to the position that individual would have been absent such Revocation Notice.”

It also says the student visa holders should not be denied entry to the country as a result of the revocation.

The government must “file a status report within 72 hours of entry of this Order describing the steps taken to ensure compliance with this Order and certifying compliance with its requirements,” Burroughs wrote.

Judge again blocks Trump administration from halting Harvard’s enrolling international students
A federal judge directed the Trump administration to restore “every visa holder and applicant to the position that individual would have been” before the ban was enacted.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/rcna213836

NBC News: A teen with no criminal background was deported by ICE, leaving his community aghast

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Emerson Colindres’ soccer coach says his case is an example of how those getting taken by ICE “are your friends and neighbors … and then one day they’re just gone.”

For 19-year-old Emerson Colindres, it was supposed to be a routine check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It turned out to be a trap. He never returned home.

Colindres, who came to the United States with his family more than a decade ago to escape the violence in their native Honduras, was detained by ICE on June 4, just days after the talented student and soccer player graduated high school in Cincinnati. Colindres, whose teammates said was one of the greatest players they met on the field, dreamed of continuing his sports career and hoped to attend a university. He did not have a criminal record, according to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.

In the span of two weeks, Colindres went from celebrating his graduation to being detained by ICE to then being deported to a country where he has not lived since he was 8 years old.

So much for the American dream — f*ck*ng ICE *ssh*l*s!

A teen with no criminal background was deported by ICE, leaving his community aghast
Emerson Colindres’ soccer coach says his case is an example of how those getting taken by ICE “are your friends and neighbors … and then one day they’re just gone.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ice-deports-teen-soccer-star-graduation-rcna212566

Axios: Judge orders Trump admin. to restore hundreds of terminated NIH grants

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A federal judge Monday ordered the National Institutes of Health to restore grants that the agency cut based on gender ideology or diversity, equity and inclusion, calling the move illegal.

District of Massachusetts Judge William Young told the attorneys that the case raises serious concerns about racial discrimination on the basis of health and said some evidence points to potential discrimination against women’s health.

“I’ve never seen a record where racial discrimination was so palpable,” Young said Monday afternoon. “I’ve sat on this bench now for 40 years. I’ve never seen government racial discrimination like this.”

Judge orders Trump admin. to restore hundreds of terminated NIH grants
“I’ve never seen government racial discrimination like this,” the judge said.

https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2025/06/16/nih-grants-ordered-restored

Associated Press: Judge rules some NIH grant cuts illegal, saying he’s never seen such discrimination in 40 years

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A federal judge ruled Monday it was illegal for the Trump administration to cancel several hundred research grants, adding that the cuts raise serious questions about racial discrimination.

U.S. District Judge William Young in Massachusetts said the administration’s process was “arbitrary and capricious” and that it did not follow long-held government rules and standards when it abruptly canceled grants deemed to focus on gender identity or diversity, equity and inclusion.

In a hearing Monday on two cases calling for the grants to be restored, the judge pushed government lawyers to offer a formal definition of DEI, questioning how grants could be canceled for that reason when some were designed to study health disparities as Congress had directed.

Young, an appointee of Republican President Ronald Reagan, went on to address what he called “a darker aspect” to the cases, calling it “palpably clear” that what was behind the government actions was “racial discrimination and discrimination against America’s LGBTQ community.”

After 40 years on the bench, “I’ve never seen government racial discrimination like this,” Young added. He ended Monday’s hearing saying, “Have we no shame.”

Judge rules some NIH grant cuts illegal, saying he’s never seen such discrimination in 40 years
A federal judge says it was illegal for the Trump administration to cancel several hundred research grants issued by the National Institutes of Health.

https://apnews.com/article/nih-research-trump-cuts-dei-rfk-4fec9f308f3ff427185a12e88f260c81

Daily Beast: Judge Frees Harvard Scientist ICE Tried to Deport to Russia

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Kseniia Petrova, 30, spent four months in federal custody after returning from a vacation with frog embryo samples.

A Harvard researcher charged with smuggling frog embryos into the United States has been released on bail after spending four months in federal custody.

In February, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) apprehended Kseniia Petrova, 30, at Boston Logan International Airport after she allegedly failed to properly declare frog embryo samples she had brought from Paris.

The Russian-born scientist had her visa revoked and was held at an ICE facility in Louisiana, facing deportation to Russia, where she had previously been arrested for speaking out against the invasion of Ukraine.

“If I go back, I am afraid I will be imprisoned because of my political position and my position against war,” Petrova told the Associated Press.

A federal judge ordered her release from ICE custody in May, ruling that the immigration officers had acted unlawfully, and that neither Petrova nor the nonliving frog embryos posed a threat.

However, she remained in federal custody after prosecutors in Massachusetts charged her with one count of smuggling goods into the U.S. That case is ongoing, and she must return to court next week for a hearing.

Judge Frees Harvard Scientist ICE Tried to Deport to Russia
Kseniia Petrova, 30, spent four months in federal custody after returning from a vacation with frog embryo samples.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/judge-frees-harvard-scientist-ice-tried-to-deport-to-russia