Politics

(NEWWARK, NJ) — Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil’s bid to remain in the United States survives after a New Jersey federal judge decided Tuesday he could retain jurisdiction over the case.

Khalil claimed he was detained and targeted for deportation because of his speech at pro-Palestinian protests on the Columbia campus and challenged his detention based on the constitutionality of the State Department’s finding that his continued presence in the country could have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences” for the United States.

Judge Michael Fabiarz did not address the substance of Khalil’s challenge but decided the case belonged in his courtroom so he could assess the Trump administration’s basis for Khalil’s removal. Fabiarz said an immigration court in Louisiana, which has already allowed for Khalil’s removal, did not have the ability to “look under the hood” of Khalil’s claims.

“If there needs to be fact-finding here, it may potentially be sprawling, and it may potentially involve sensitive evidence, or (renewed) requests to depose senior officials,” Fabiarz said. “This is not the kind of fact-finding work the immigration courts have been built for.”

Fabiarz previously found that the Newark court can retain jurisdiction over the case in a decision issued earlier this month. The judge wrote that there were still “other jurisdictional hurdles” to consider before reaffirming in his latest opinion that the case can stay in his courtroom.

The federal government had argued that Khalil’s habeas challenge should be denied in part because the Newark court cannot hear the case.

“Today we moved one step closer to vindicating Mr. Khalil’s rights by challenging his unlawful detention and the administration’s unconstitutional and retaliatory actions against him,” Amy Greer, one of Khalil’s attorneys, said in a statement on Tuesday.

The case could have consequences beyond Khalil’s status, since the State Department is using similar justification to attempt to deport other students and recent graduates who were outspoken supporters of the Palestinian cause.

Khalil, a lawful permanent resident, was detained on March 8 at his student apartment building in New York. He was taken to 26 Federal Plaza in lower Manhattan, then to an immigration detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, before ending up in a Louisiana detention center, his attorneys said.

After his lawyers filed a petition for Khalil’s immediate release, a federal judge in New York last month moved the case to New Jersey.

Fabiarz rejected the federal government’s request to move the case to Louisiana earlier this month.

The following week, an immigration judge in Louisiana ruled that Khalil is removable after Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoked a section of the law that deemed him deportable because, the government claimed, his continued presence in the US would have an adverse consequence on foreign policy.

Khalil’s legal team said it has pending motions seeking his release so he can be with his wife, who recently gave birth to their first child.

“As I am now caring for our barely week-old son, it is even more urgent that we continue to speak out for Mahmoud’s freedom, and for the freedom of all people being unjustly targeted for advocating against Israel’s genocide in Gaza,” his wife, Noor Abdalla, said in a statement Tuesday. “I am relieved at the court’s finding that my husband can move forward with his case in federal court. This is an important step towards securing Mahmoud’s freedom. But there is still more work to be done.”

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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump expressed confidence in Pete Hegseth on Tuesday in an exclusive interview with ABC News, saying he hopes the former Fox News host will be a “great” defense secretary amid a bevy of press reports calling his leadership into question.

The interview airs on ABC at 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT. It can also be streamed later Tuesday on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.

“I had a talk with him, and whatever I said I probably wouldn’t be inclined to tell you,” Trump told ABC News anchor and Senior National Correspondent Terry Moran. “But — we had a good talk. He’s a talented guy. He’s young. He’s smart, highly educated. And I think he’s gonna be a very good defense — hopefully a great defense secretary.”

Trump’s vote of confidence in Hegseth comes amid scrutiny over Hegseth’s use of the Signal app to communicate sensitive military plans to members of the administration and, in at least one case, his wife, who does not hold a security clearance.

Asked by Moran whether Trump has “a hundred percent confidence” in Hegseth, Trump fired back.

“I don’t have — a hundred percent confidence in anything, OK? Anything,” Trump said. “Do I have a hundred percent? It’s a stupid question.”

“It’s a pretty important position,” Moran said.

“No, no, no,” Trump said. “You don’t have a hundred percent. Only a liar would say, ‘I have a hundred percent confidence.'”

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(WASHINGTON) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, under investigation for mishandling sensitive military information, traveled to Michigan on Tuesday alongside President Donald Trump in what appeared to be a show of support for the Pentagon chief whose rocky tenure has prompted calls by Democrats for his resignation.

Speaking at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Trump introduced his secretary of defense to the Guard members, telling them Hegseth was doing “a really great job.”

In brief remarks following Trump, Hegseth praised the president.

“Only because the commander in chief invited me,” Hegseth said, gesturing to Trump. “Mr. President, thank you for restoring the warrior ethos inside our formations, for rebuilding our military, reestablishing deterrence around the world and making Americans proud to wear the uniform.”

Hegseth later added: “All I ever wanted when I was in combat was to know that my commander had my back no matter what, and with Donald J. Trump, that commander has your back.”

Hegseth’s office declined to answer questions about why he was added to Trump’s entourage as part of the president’s trip to celebrate his 100 days in office. Hegseth’s involvement was not previously announced.

Trump was to speak later to a rally crowd in Warren, Michigan, to tout his achievements during his first 100 days. He was joined at the base by Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as he announced that Selfridge would receive 21 F-15 fighters which will bolster its future.

An infantry officer in the U.S. Army National Guard, Hegseth deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan before leaving the service with the rank of major, according to military records.

“From Day One, our overriding objectives have been clear: restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding our military, and reestablishing deterrence,” said Sean Parnell, a senior adviser to Hegseth. “In 100 days, the Department of Defense and our warfighters have delivered historic victories for the American people.”

Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor, was narrowly confirmed by the Senate earlier this year following allegations of financial mismanagement at a veterans nonprofit, sexual assault and heavy drinking — all allegations he denies and says were aimed at smearing his reputation.

Two months after Hegseth took the helm at the Pentagon, The Atlantic reported he was using the commercial messaging app Signal to update other national security officials, including Vice President JD Vance, with detailed plans for a military attack on the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Hegseth then used a second Signal chat to provide sensitive details to his wife, brother and personal lawyer, ABC News confirmed.

The Pentagon’s independent watchdog, DOD acting Inspector General Steven Stebbins, said he would investigate the use of Signal by Hegseth and others.

Trump later told The Atlantic that he spoke with Hegseth following the reports.

“I think he’s gonna get it together,” Trump said of Hegseth. “I had a talk with him, a positive talk, but I had a talk with him.”

Adding to the tumult is the departure of several top aides to the secretary. Hegseth’s chief of staff, Joe Kasper, recently stepped down, moving into a part-time advisory role. Hegseth fired three other close aides for what he said was leaking, although the aides say they have not been approached by investigators and remain unclear what the allegations are. And a fifth adviser resigned, writing a scathing opinion article calling Hegseth’s handling of the Pentagon “total chaos.”

For his part, Hegseth said he’s fighting to enact the president’s agenda. On Tuesday, shortly before leaving on his trip with the president, Hegseth said he “proudly” ended a small Defense Department program aimed at bolstering the participation of women in helping to resolve overseas conflicts, calling the effort a “woke divisive/social justice/Biden initiative.”

The program — called “Women, Peace and Security” — was signed into law by Trump during his first term in 2017 after several Republicans, including current Trump Cabinet members Kristi Noem and Marco Rubio, who were lawmakers at the time, sponsored the bill.

In 2019, the Trump administration outlined a strategy for implementing the program, including insisting upon female representation by other countries during peace talks. Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, was among its supporters.

“Peace processes and peacebuilding efforts are more successful when women have influential roles,” the Trump administration wrote at the time.

But according to Hegseth, the program never worked.

“Politicians fawn over it; troops HATE it,” Hegseth insisted.

Hegseth acknowledged in a subsequent post that the effort was indeed a Trump initiative with Republican support. He then accused the Biden administration of ruining it.

In 2021, President Joe Biden and Congress put $5.5 million in DOD spending toward implementing the law, including hiring and training personnel.

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(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge blasted the Trump administration’s termination of immigration records for thousands of foreign students in the United States as “arbitrary and capricious,” demanding that the government provide detailed explanations as to why and how the records were terminated and what this means for students.

“I think we all agree it was arbitrary and capricious,” Judge Ana Reyes said about the Trump administration’s move to terminate records of foreign students in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a database that schools and government agencies used to confirm if foreign students are abiding by the conditions of their stay, during a court hearing for an international student’s case in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.

“This was not ideal by any stretch of the imagination,” she continued.

Akshar Patel, a computer science student from India, sued the Trump administration after his SEVIS record was recently terminated based on a speeding ticket from a few years ago. On the heels of the Trump administration’s recent announcement that it is reinstating SEVIS records for some international students whose records had been terminated, Patel sought a preliminary injunction to ensure he can maintain his status and won’t be detained or deported.

“It still boggles my mind that we’re firing tens of thousands of federal workers on no notice and then take 10 to 20 of them to run a bunch of names through a database to see if there are students — if they have a speeding record,” Reyes said.

Reyes, who is overseeing Patel’s case, did not rule on the motion for a preliminary injunction from the bench on Tuesday after hearing from the government that Patel’s legal status as a student has not been terminated and that he’s not facing any immediate threat of deportation. The judge suggested that the plaintiff and the government could come up with language to ensure Patel’s status in the United States.

During the court hearing, Andre Watson, a senior official at the National Security Division of Homeland Security Investigations, explained that Patel was terminated due to a speeding ticket from a few years ago, was one of roughly 6,400 international students who were referred to the State Department after his team checked the records of nearly 1.3 million international students through the National Crime Information Center as part of its Criminal Alien Program initiative, which is aimed at identifying and removing migrants lacking legal status to be in the U.S. who also have criminal records.

The thousands of international students who were referred to the State Department, and subsequently returned to the Department of Homeland Security, including Patel, came up on the NCIC database but did not necessarily have criminal records. Watson did not elaborate on how exactly the government combed through the names to decide whom it flagged.

The judge was highly critical of the administration’s process of terminating these students’ immigration records and visas, taking particular notice of the sweeping nature of the mass terminations.

“After careful consideration for 15 minutes, terminate everybody, right?” the judge questioned as she walked through the government’s process of filtering through students’ records and determining whose records to terminate. “Can you and I agree that nowhere in this entire process has anyone done an individualized determination of any of these individuals before their names were terminated in SEVIS?”

“I mean, no one looked at Mr. Patel’s case and said that, yeah, here’s somebody who should no longer be in the United States, right?” Reyes continued.

Noting that Patel had only received a citation in Texas for reckless driving but was never charged, Reyes said, “You and I both agree that if we deported every single individual in this country who’s been tasked for speeding, there’d be very few people left, and almost all of them would not have driver’s license.”

“You and I both know that Mr. Patel is not a criminal, right?” she said, adding that Patel had even disclosed the speeding ticket in his visa petition. “The United States government had already assessed this speeding ticket and had found it not to be a reason to kick him out of status.”

U.S. attorney Johnny Walker maintained that the SEVIS termination was merely a “red flag” to the school notifying it of the student’s record, saying it is up to the school to terminate his student status.

While Patel, who is scheduled to graduate in a few weeks, has continued to attend classes to finish his degree, lawyers representing other affected international students have said some schools saw it as more than a red flag — thinking this meant their students needed to leave the country.

While declining to rule from the bench after assurances from the government that Patel’s student status is active, the judge criticized the administration’s actions, describing it as an “utter lack of concern for human individuals.”

“Aside from the utter lack of concern for human individuals who we have invited into our country and who have made our communities richer by being students who have contributed to our colleges and who have paid our colleges — the reason I’m concerned and particularly troubled is because those plaintiffs lawyers, like all lawyers, have to get paid, and so now we’ve got thousands of people who are having to pay plaintiff’s attorneys to have litigation, to file briefs, to appear in court, prepare for court, to get the information, and that’s not cheap, right?” Reyes said.

“And all of this could have been avoided if individuals had taken a beat and instead of just rushing things,” she continued.

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(WASHINGTON) — After being in a detention center for several months in Texas, Yorely Bernal Inciarte got the news she had been praying for: She was going to be deported back to her home country.

But when she boarded her deportation flight to Venezuela last week, her worst nightmare came true, she said: Her two-year old daughter was not on the flight.

“I started yelling at the officers asking where my baby was,” Inciarte told ABC News. “[Immigration and Customs Enforcement] officers ignored me.”

When Inciarte, her partner Maiker Espinoza Escalona and their child entered the U.S. last year and surrendered to authorities, the three were separated, Inciarte told ABC News.

Inciarte and Escalona were placed in separate detention centers in Texas and their daughter was placed in government custody, Inciarte said. She told ABC News she was able to speak with her daughter on video calls and with Escalona over the phone.

The two adults were placed in asylum proceedings but they eventually asked for a deportation order to be reunited with their child, who is not a U.S. citizen, one of their attorneys told ABC News.

But that would never happen. Escalona was transferred to Guantanamo Bay and then sent to the notorious CECOT prison in El Salvador on March 30 under Title 8 authorities, according to the family and their attorney.

“When I saw him in a video in El Salvador, I was in shock,” Inciarte said. “I couldn’t stop crying and yelling.”

Last week, Inciarte was deported to Venezuela without her daughter, a move that has outraged government officials in Venezuela. The Department of Homeland Security over the weekend labeled Inciarte and Escalona as “Tren de Aragua parents,” alleging the two are members of the Venezuelan gang.

“The child’s father, Maiker Espinoza-Escalona is a lieutenant of Tren De Aragua who oversees homicides, drug sales, kidnappings, extortion, sex trafficking and operates a torture house,” DHS said in a statement over the weekend. “The child’s mother, Yorely Escarleth Bernal Inciarte oversees recruitment of young women for drug smuggling and prostitution.”

“The child remains in the care and custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement and is currently placed with a foster family,” DHS added.

Inciarte, her attorney and the family deny the accusations by DHS.

“If it’s true, release the evidence,” Inciarte told ABC News. “Release the proof that we are Tren de Aragua. They took a child away from their mother and they’re telling lies about us.”

According to Inciarte, she and Escalona were never released from detention in the U.S. A DHS document obtained by ABC News shows that Inciarte entered the U.S. on May 14 and did not present a valid entry document.

Venezuelan documents provided by their family appear to show the two do not have criminal records in their home country.

When asked about the evidence the agency has on Escalona and Inciarte, DHS sent ABC News the statement posted over the weekend.

An ABC News review of county and federal records found no cases associated with Escalona. ABC News located a federal criminal case against Inciarte for improper entry into the U.S. in 2024. According to the documents, Inciarte pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served and one business day.

Over the weekend, a top official in the Venezuelan government accused the U.S. of “kidnapping” the child.

“The U.S. government is robbing Venezuelan children,” Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on a radio show.

Inciarte’s family previously told ABC News they believe the couple was accused of being members of Tren de Aragua because of their tattoos.

“My daughter has a tattoo of the year I was born and the year her dad was born,” Inciarte’s mother told ABC News. “She also has the name of her son and some flowers on her chest. Maiker is a tattoo artist and he would do her tattoos.”

Marly, who is Escalona’s sister, said her brother was also a barber and traveled to the U.S. for a better life.

“My brother is a 25-year-old guy, a dreamer, like all Venezuelans,” Marly said in Spanish. “He loves cutting hair. He finished high school, he took courses in barbering and set up his barbershop in Venezuela. But things got a bit tough in Venezuela, so he emigrated to have a better life.”

The Office of Refugee Resettlement under the Department of Health and Human Services, the agency that has custody of the 2-year old, referred ABC News to DHS for questions about the child.

Inciarte told ABC News she does not know who to contact and what to do to get her daughter back.

“I wouldn’t wish this on any mother,” Inciarte said.

ABC News’ Jared Kofsky contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — In an exclusive interview with ABC News to mark his 100th day in office, President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he “could” secure the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man his administration said in court was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.

“Now the Supreme Court has upheld an order that you must return him to the– facilitate his return to the United States. What are you doing to comply?” ABC News anchor and Senior National Correspondent Terry Moran asked Trump in the Oval Office.

“Well, the lawyer that said it was a mistake was here a long time, was not appointed by us– should not have said that, should not have said that,” Trump argued. The president then said that Abrego Garcia is a member of the criminal MS-13 gang and “is not an innocent, wonderful gentleman from Maryland.” Abrego Garcia’s lawyers have maintained he’s not MS-13 and has not been charged with or convicted of a crime.

“I’m not saying he’s a good guy. It’s about the rule of law. The order from the Supreme Court stands, sir,” Moran told the president.

“He came into our country illegally,” Trump maintained.

“You could get him back. There’s a phone on this desk,” Moran told Trump, pointing to the phone on the Resolute Desk.

“I could,” Trump conceded.

“You could pick it up, and with all–” Moran began to say.

“I could,” Trump said again.

“–the power of the presidency, you could call up the president of El Salvador and say, ‘Send him back right now,’” Moran explained.

“And if he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that,” Trump offered, before saying, “I’m not the one making this decision.”

“You’re the president,” Moran told him.

“I– no, no, no, no. If– follow the law. You want me to follow the law. If I were the president that just wanted to do anything, I’d probably keep him right where he is—” Trump said.

“The Supreme Court says what the law is,” Moran said.

Trump replied, referencing immigration, saying he “was elected to take care of a problem” that was an “unforced error that was made by a very incompetent man,” – an apparent jab at President Joe Biden.

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(WASHINGTON) — Doug Emhoff, the former second gentleman of the United States, said on Tuesday that he had been dismissed from the board of trustees of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Emhoff was dismissed from the board by President Donald Trump’s administration, which has the power to appoint and remove members.

“President Trump looks forward to appointing new individuals who will not only continue to honor the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust, but who are also steadfast supporters of the State of Israel,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to ABC News.

According to the museum, the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, which serves as the board of trustees of the museum, has 55 president-appointed members, as well as members from the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and the departments of Education, Interior and State.

Emhoff was appointed in January to the council by then-President Joe Biden.

“Let me be clear: Holocaust remembrance and education should never be politicized,” Emhoff said in a statement to ABC News.

“To turn one of the worst atrocities in history into a wedge issue is dangerous,” he continued, “and it dishonors the memory of six million Jews murdered by Nazis that this museum was created to preserve.”

The dismissal of Emhoff from the board is the latest example of Trump removing people from what were traditionally nonpartisan roles appointed by presidents and other officials.

In February, Trump announced he would be removing board members from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts — and also installed himself as chair.

The New York Times was the first to report that a number of board members — including Emhoff — had been dismissed from the Holocaust Memorial Museum, which the White House confirmed to ABC News.

Emhoff, who is Jewish and has talked extensively about the Holocaust and antisemitism, has previously spoken in support of Israel, and he supported Biden’s efforts to broker a ceasefire and hostage release deal in the Israel-Hamas war.

In remarks to Jewish supporters on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention in August 2024, he framed then-Vice President Kamala Harris as “somebody who knows our community, will continue to support us and Israel, and make sure that just the world is free of hate, including antisemitism.”

The Holocaust Memorial Museum gave a statement to ABC News on Tuesday, saying, “At this time of high antisemitism and Holocaust distortion and denial, the Museum is gratified that our visitation is robust and demand for Holocaust education is increasing.”

“We look forward to continuing to advance our vitally important mission as we work with the Trump Administration,” the statement continued.

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(WASHINGTON) — Savior. Ungodly. Patriotic. Un-American. Great. Sad.

A hundred days into his presidency, all are words Americans used to describe President Donald Trump’s performance in office.

Responses run the full spectrum of possible assessments. On the positive side of the ledger in this ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll: “Excellent.” “Awesome.” “Outstanding.” “Strong.” “Best president ever.”

And among the more negative comments: “Disaster.” “Chaotic.” “Appalling.” “Horrible.” “Atrocious.” “Catastrophic.”

As reported Sunday, Trump has a 39% job approval rating in this poll, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates with fieldwork by Ipsos. That’s the lowest job approval rating at or near 100 days in office of any president dating back to 1945 (as far back as data are available).

Invited to use one word to express their personal reaction to Trump’s performance as president so far, some focused on their feelings: “Frightened.” “Excited.” “Horrified.” “Relieved.” “Worried.” “Angry.” “Confused.” “Happy.” “Devastated.”

Others couldn’t restrain themselves to a single word, with fuller comments further illustrating Americans’ sharply divided opinions:

“He’s doing a fantastic job of accomplishing all that we want him to and voted for him to do!”

“He’s a convicted criminal, he’s a horrible con man who thinks he’s a great businessman and he’s tanking the economy for some ‘give it to the libs’ reason. I did not vote for this.”

“Someone needs to step in and rein him in. He is overstepping his authority. What is really frightening is that the Republican leadership knows he is wrong and will not stop him. Fear of losing their own power.”

“He doesn’t hesitate to support our best interests. He stands strong, and doesn’t give in to those who try and take advantage.”

“He is not taking into consideration the seniors that are on Social Security only which don’t have the discretionary income to handle the drastic cost of groceries and other necessities.”

“He is a horrible human being who cares about no one but himself and is ruining our democracy and all this country stands for.”

“He is courageously taking fast action to do what is best for our country economically and with the infrastructure.”

“Total embarrassment. Too bad so many believed and for some reason still believe in him.”

“He is a bad seed.”

“Trump seems even more unhinged than last time, but what were we all expecting? I’m not surprised, but I am displeased.”

A few others reserved judgment, at least for the time being:

“Don’t know yet, need more time to see the actual results.”

“We will see how this turns out.”

Groups

Among people who disapprove of Trump’s job performance, some characterizations were notably negative: “disgusting,” “disappointing,” “chaotic,” “incompetent,” “disaster,” “horrific,” “terrible” and “horrible.”

Others: “idiotic,” “embarrassing,” “criminal,” “crazy,” “appalling,” “pathetic,” “outrage.” Still others described him as “dictator,” “fascist,” “authoritarian,” “unconstitutional.” And some commented on Trump as a threat: “destructive,” “dangerous,” “frightening,” “reckless.”

Among Trump approvers, on the other hand, common reactions included “excellent,” “great,” “good,” “strong,” “outstanding,” “awesome,” “fantastic” and “amazing.” Others were positive, but less effusive: “acceptable,” “alright,” “decent,” “fair,” “fine,” “OK.” Some approvers were decidedly unenthusiastic: “so-so,” “mediocre,” “meh.”

Some commented on the speed or extent of his actions: “fast,” “hasty,” “quick,” “hectic,” “rollercoaster,” “sprinting,” “too much.” Several said they were “surprised”; others, “hopeful.” Some commented on Trump’s style: “bold,” “aggressive,” “determined.”

In any case, one said: “Better than Biden, so far.”

Methodology

This ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll was conducted online via the probability-based Ipsos KnowledgePanel® April 18-22, 2025, in English and Spanish, among a random national sample of 2,464 adults. Partisan divisions are 30%-30%-29%, Democrats-Republicans-independents.

Results have a margin of sampling error of 2 percentage points, including the design effect. Error margins are larger for subgroups. Sampling error is not the only source of differences in polls.

The survey was produced for ABC News by Langer Research Associates, with sampling and data collection by Ipsos. See details on ABC News’ survey methodology here.

 

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(WASHINGTON) —  The Supreme Court appears poised to rule narrowly in a closely watched dispute over when federal law enforcement can be held liable for mistakes that harm innocent victims.

Justices heard arguments on Tuesday in a case from Atlanta involving a 2017 pre-dawn FBI raid of the wrong house that traumatized a family and left thousands of dollars of damage.

Lower courts tossed out the victims’ claims for compensation because of sweeping legal immunity for government officials.

Much of the debate, while highly technical, focused on an exception to the immunity clause that Congress added to the Federal Tort Claims Act in 1974.

“If you really, really meant to drop the pizza off at the right address, it doesn’t matter. You still need to give a refund if you drop it off at the wrong address,” argued Patrick Jaicomo, an attorney representing the family.

A Trump administration attorney insisted officers exercising discretion in performance of their duties should not be subjected to lawsuits and second-guessed by courts.

“The officers here made a reasonable mistake,” said Frederick Liu, an assistant solicitor general.

Several justices did not appear to be buying the argument.

“That is so ridiculous,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor said. “Congress is … providing a remedy to people who have been wrongfully raided, and you’re now saying, ‘No, they really didn’t want to protect them fully.'”

Most law enforcement agencies don’t keep track of wrong-house raids or publicly report data, according to legal experts. Civil rights advocates estimate that are hundreds of cases of wrong-house raids nationwide each year, and most victims are not compensated for the physical or emotional harm that often results from them.

When Liu argued the FBI agents in the case did not violate any government policy despite the mistake, Justice Neil Gorsuch shot back incredulously.

“No policy says, ‘Don’t break down the wrong door? Don’t traumatize the occupants’? Really?” Gorsuch asked Liu.

“It’s the United States’ policy to execute the warrants at the right house,” Liu replied.

“I should hope so,” Gorsuch responded.

Despite sympathy for the plaintiffs, many of the justices appeared wary of a broad ruling that might open the floodgates to litigation against the government.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who is the justice most often in the majority, suggested the Supreme Court is likely to provide a limited decision and return the case to lower courts for further consideration.

A decision in the case is expected by the end of June.

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(WASHINGTON) — Democrats, responding to the 100-day mark of President Donald Trump’s second term, argue that the American public’s opinion of the White House and Republicans in Congress — as well as consternation around high prices — give them an opening to flip the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026.

In a strategy memo obtained exclusively by ABC News, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the campaign arm of House Democrats, wrote, “In just 100 days, House Republicans and Donald Trump have lost the support of the American people and left a trail of broken promises that will cost them the House majority next year.”

Recent polls show approval ratings for Trump and congressional Republicans are underwater — although congressional Democrats have sometimes performed even worse. In a recent ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll, Trump beats Democrats in Congress in terms of trust to handle the nation’s main problems.

The DCCC, however, argues in the memo that Democrats have momentum. The group pointed to ads from some Republican members during the 2024 campaign cycle where they said they would work to get costs down, claiming that they and others have abandoned those promises. The group also alleged that the recent budget blueprint passed by House Republicans will potentially lead to cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.

Republicans have argued that the budget blueprint does not and will not threaten any benefits or entitlements and that Democrats are causing undue fear. Some also blame actions by the previous White House under Democratic President Joe Biden or factors outside of anyone’s control have caused higher prices.

“The DCCC and House Democrats will continue to fight back and hold Republicans accountable for their broken promises … With every new bill that gets introduced, committee meeting held, and amendment vote taken, the American people will know that Republicans don’t work for them, they work for the billionaires,” the Democratic group wrote.

And looking to 2026, the DCCC added, “Their trail of broken promises have helped to put House Democrats on offense with an expansive battleground map, including more initial Districts in Play than any cycle since 2018. The DCCC will continue to build upon this momentum on our way to taking back the House next year.”

Republicans held on to a slim majority in the House in the 2024 election.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the campaign arm of House Republicans, has expressed confidence that the GOP will hold the House in the 2026 midterms. The group celebrated Trump’s 100 day mark on Tuesday as a milestone for momentum for an agenda the group said is revitalizing the country.

NRCC chair Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., wrote in a statement on Tuesday, “In just 100 days, President Trump has reignited American greatness. He’s secured our border, put America back on top, and restored the American Dream. House Republicans will continue working with him and building on this historic momentum.”

The DCCC’s memo comes as Democratic officials and other figures mark 100 days of Trump’s second term in office, although the party is still divided over how to rebuild after its losses in 2024.

To mark the 100-day milestone, Democratic mayors and governors have been pointing to federal government spending cuts or new policies that they say have a deleterious impact on their states.

A few well-known governors, including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker — who created buzz during remarks on Sunday in New Hampshire when he said that “these Republicans cannot know a moment of peace” — will be holding a virtual town hall on Tuesday night about “how Democratic governors are standing up to protect the people in their states,” according to the Democratic Governors Association.

Meanwhile, Democratic members of Congress and party officials have been marking the run-up to the 100-day mark with town halls and protests. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., staged an hours-long “sit-in” on the House steps on Sunday to protest Congressional Republicans’ budget plans.

Some Democrats have argued that the disparate responses to the administration are actually a strength for the party while it is locked out of power in Washington.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was the running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, said at a talk on Monday night that the Democratic Party needs to “flood the zone” and “fill every single lane, and if there’s one that’s better than another, then let’s all pick that lane and do more of that.”

Harris herself is set to deliver remarks on Wednesday in San Francisco, one day after the administration’s 100-day mark, at the 20th anniversary celebration for Emerge, an organization that supports Democratic women running for office.

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