News Update: July 23rd 2025

Today on Just Security

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

PUBLISHED TODAY

Be sure to visit www.justsecurity.org throughout the day for the latest analysis from the Just Security team. 

When Guardrails Erode: An Anti‑Corruption Series

Corruption is often understood as a matter of individual misconduct – a bribe, a kickback, or a secret financial stake in a government decision. These acts, particularly when taken together, can have devastating consequences, from slowing economic growth and widening inequality to eroding public trust and fomenting instability in U.S. national security and democracy itself. 

July 23, 2025 | Dani Schulkin and Amy MarkopolousRead Article

The Anti-Corruption Tracker: Mapping the Erosion of Oversight and Accountability

This Anti-Corruption Tracker focuses on the erosion or dismantling of oversight and accountability systems within the United States Executive Branch—watchdog offices closed, enforcement units disbanded, oversight officials removed, and transparency rules hollowed out. These changes don’t always make headlines, but together, they create a more permissive environment for corruption and abuse of power to take root.

July 23, 2025 | Dani Schulkin, Amy Markopolous and Maya NirRead Article

Congress Shrinking from the World: the Constitution’s Article I in the Shadow of Trump 2.0

As Congress prepares to leave town for the August recess, it’s an opportune moment to take stock of the congressional record and assess the willingness of its members to discharge their constitutional responsibilities in foreign policy, national security, and international economic affairs. Seven months into President Donald Trump’s second administration, the 119th Congress has revealed itself less as a coequal branch and more as an accomplice in the marginalization of its own constitutional role in foreign and national security policy.

July 23, 2025 | Michael SchifferRead Article

LITIGATION TRACKER UPDATES

July 23, 2025

Significant recent developments in Just Security’s tracker of legal challenges to Trump administration executive actions:

Visit the Litigation TrackerExecutive Action: Removal of Independent Agency Leaders

Trump v. Boyle (D. Md.)

Case No. 8:25-cv-01628Case No. 25A11 (U.S.)

In a 6-3 opinion, the Supreme Court granted the administration’s application to stay a lower court’s summary judgment and injunction, allowing the administration to remove three Commissioners from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The court noted that the case is similar to Trump v. Wilcox, which also involves the removal of members in the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).

Justice Kavanaugh concurred. Justice Kagan, alongside Justices Sotomayor and Jackson, dissented, writing “[o]nce again, this Court uses its emergency docket to destroy the independence of an independent agency, as established by Congress.”

Executive Action: Removal to El Salvador/Fear of Persecution

Abrego Garcia v. Noem (D. Md.)Case No. 8:25-cv-00951

Judge Xinis granted Abrego Garcia’s motion for relief, prohibiting the administration from re-arresting him upon his release from criminal detention in Tennessee. The court ordered that Garcia be returned to Maryland under ICE’s Order of Supervision. If the administration seeks to pursue third-country removal proceedings against Garcia, it must provide 72 business hours notice.

The court explained that the order is necessary to preserve jurisdiction and ensure injunctive relief to restore the status quo. Judge Xinis noted that this order is “consistent with the United States Supreme Court’s mandate that ‘[Garcia’s] case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador.’” The court clarified, however, that lawful immigration proceedings may proceed once Garcia returns to Baltimore.Executive Action: Removal of Independent Agency Leaders

Harper v. Bessent (D.D.C.)

Case: 1:25-cv-01294

Judge Ali granted a summary judgment yesterday in favor of plaintiffs, ruling that the administration’s firing of two Board members of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) was unlawful. The court held that the statutory basis and structure of NCUA limits the president’s power to fire board members at will, and such restriction is lawful under the Separation of Powers since the “NCUA Board fits comfortably within the traditional model of a multimember expert agency that does not wield substantial executive power.”

The administration appealed to the D.C. Circuit and filed a motion to stay the judgment pending appeal.

Executive Action: DHS Revocation of Temporary Protective Status

CASA, Inc. v. Kristi Noem

Case No. 8:25-cv-01484Case No. 25-1792 (4th Cir.)

Following the appeals court's refusal to pause the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan and Cameroon, CASA voluntarily dismissed its case in the Fourth Circuit. The case now continues in the District Court.

The Early Edition: July 23, 2025

A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news.

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July 23, 2025 | Weronika GalkaRead Today's News Roundup

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