Today in one sentence: A federal judge blocked Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship, approving a class-action lawsuit to sidestep a recent Supreme Court ruling that limited nationwide injunctions; a former Justice Department attorney accused Trump officials of ignoring federal court orders and pressuring lawyers to lie to judges during deportation cases; the FBI used polygraph tests to ask senior officials whether they’ve said anything negative about Director Kash Patel; a federal appeals court upheld a $5 million civil verdict against Trump for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll; and FEMA couldn’t deploy rescue teams to the Texas floods without Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s sign-off.

1/ A federal judge blocked Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship, approving a class-action lawsuit to sidestep a recent Supreme Court ruling that limited nationwide injunctions. Judge Joseph Laplante said denying citizenship would cause “irreparable harm” and that the case wasn’t “a close call.” Laplante approved a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all babies born after Feb. 20 who could lose citizenship under Trump’s order, and temporarily blocked the policy nationwide. The Justice Department called the ruling “an obvious and unlawful attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court’s clear order,” which barred broad injunctions but allowed class actions. The judge paused the injunction for seven days for an appeal. Trump’s order is set to take effect July 27 if no court blocks it before then. (New York Times / CNN / Politico / Washington Post / Axios / Bloomberg / Reuters / ABC News / NBC News / Wall Street Journal)

2/ A former Justice Department attorney accused Trump officials of ignoring federal court orders and pressuring lawyers to lie to judges during deportation cases. Erez Reuveni gave Congress texts and emails showing Emil Bove – a former top DOJ official, ex-Trump defense lawyer, and current nominee for a federal appeals court seat – allegedly told subordinates they might have to say “fuck you” to the courts while deporting migrants under a wartime law. Reuveni was fired in April and labeled a “disgruntled employee” by Attorney General Pam Bondi. Internal messages, for example, showed officials falsely claiming Kilmar Abrego Garcia was a gang leader to justify his illegal deportation to a Salvadoran prison, despite a judge’s order not to remove him. “The Department of Justice is thumbing its nose at the courts,” Reuveni said. The Senate is currently considering Bove for a lifetime seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. (New York Times / CBS News / Politico / New Republic)

3/ The FBI used polygraph tests to ask senior officials whether they’ve said anything negative about Director Kash Patel. The questioning is part of a broader effort by Patel and his deputy Dan Bongino to identify internal critics and crack down on leaks, former officials said. Dozens of senior personnel have reportedly been removed, reassigned, or placed on leave since the new leadership took over. One former agent described the shift as favoring “ideological purity.” (New York Times)

4/ A federal appeals court upheld a $5 million civil verdict against Trump for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. The 2nd Circuit said Trump “had not demonstrated” any trial errors that would justify a new proceeding. In 2023, a Manhattan jury found Trump liable for assaulting Carroll in a department store in the 1990s and defaming her in 2022 when he called her story “a hoax and a lie.” Trump is separately appealing another $83.3 million verdict over similar statements. (CNBC)

5/ FEMA couldn’t deploy rescue teams to the Texas floods without Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s sign-off – a delay that lasted three days. FEMA officials said the new DHS rule requiring Noem’s personal approval for spending over $100,000 delayed deployments, including search and rescue teams, aerial imaging, and staffing at call centers. Noem defended the response, saying “every single thing they asked for, we were there,” and dismissed the report as “absolutely trash.” Noem and Trump have both called for eliminating FEMA “as it exists,” even as Texas has relied on the agency for the rescue efforts, housing, and food. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who sits with Noem on a Trump-appointed council to dismantle FEMA, called the agency “slow and clunky” and said states can respond “more effectively.” (CNN / NBC News / The Hill / NPR / Bloomberg)

The midterm elections are in 481 days.

Last year today: Day 1268: "Pivotal moment."
Two years ago today: Day 902: "Bomblets."
Five years ago today: Day 1268: "An unbelievable thing."
Six years ago today: Day 902: A worthwhile cause.
Seven years ago today: Day 537: "Putin may be the easiest."
Eight years ago today: Day 172: Damaging information.