4th of July Fun and Random Notes

There is a special Afternoon Conversation post coming up later today. So seeing as it’s Friday, the day I usually do the meme/joke post, I thought I’d combine a couple of big news items and some faffery.

Lets start with a news item. The Supreme Court is starting to get upset with the lower federal courts and its beginning to show. Last month a federal district court judge slapped an injunction on the Trump administration over 3rd country deportations. That ruling was appealed and the Supreme Court stayed that injunction. That means the order – and anything resulting from the order – cannot be enforced. The district judge, clearly drunk on power issued a minute order stating that an subsequent order overrode the SCOTUS stay.

Well, in a 7-2 unsigned order SCOTUS told the judge in no uncertain terms that they are to be obeyed and if they say something gets stayed, nothing the judge can do will change that. The district judge acted so out of bounds that Justice Kagan – who voted against the original stay – wrote a signed concurrence. I reproduce it here (internal citations omitted)

I voted to deny the Government’s previous stay application in this case, and I continue to believe that this Court should not have stayed the District Court’s April 18 order enjoining the Government from deporting non-citizens to third countries without notice or a meaningful opportunity to be heard. But a majority of this Court saw things differently, and I do not see how a district court can compel compliance with an order that this Court has stayed. Because continued enforcement of the District Court’s May 21, 2025 order would do just that, I vote to grant the Government’s motion for clarification.

Hopefully this is the start of SCOTUS reining in rogue district judges. If it isn’t we are seeing the end of article three courts.

The OBBB passed the House yesterday and is heading for President Trump’s desk. There is a signing ceremony set for 1700 today.