DOJ probes, indictments, and policy clashes—Trump era actions and prosecutions put the U.S. justice department in the spotlight. DOJ: federal justice arm.
The Justice Department has reached a settlement that has barred the IRS from pursuing existing audits of President Trump, his family and affiliates and has created a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund; legal experts, lawmakers and multiple outlets have criticised the settlement's scope, optics and potential legal problems.
Since April and into May 2026, multiple US universities have faced commencement and campus controversies over invited speakers and events related to Israel, free speech and protest. NYU is keeping Jonathan Haidt as its Yankee Stadium commencement speaker despite student government opposition; Rutgers has rescinded an invitation to alumnus Rami Elghandour; Georgetown Law replaced Morton Schapiro after student objections; and campus groups are clashing over guest appearances and platforming.
Minnesota lawmakers have pressed for documents and communications linked to the Feeding Our Future fraud case, including potentially those between Ilhan Omar’s office and defendants. The request comes as a federal investigation and state oversight continue to unfold, with 22 search warrants executed and new evidence tied to the MEALS Act and Safari Restaurant.
The Justice Department is continuing to pursue records from the 2020 election in Fulton County, including a federal grand jury subpoena seeking the names and contact information of county employees and volunteer poll workers. Fulton County officials are challenging the demand as overbroad, while a court ruling has allowed the DOJ access to copies of seized election materials.
A Department of Homeland Security intelligence note has found that Cole Allen’s social and political grievances may be linked to the Iran conflict, which DHS says may have contributed to his decision to target the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The assessment is preliminary but represents the clearest evidence to date of a potential trigger.
Eileen Wang has pled guilty to one count of acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government, for operating the US News Center to publish pro-PRC material from 2020 to 2022. She has resigned as Arcadia’s mayor. Co-operating with authorities, Yaoning Sun has already received a four-year sentence.
The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted former FBI Director James Comey for allegedly transmitting a threat against President Trump through a social media post showing seashells arranged to read “86 47.” The indictment marks a second case against Comey and comes amid broader discourse about political targeting within the DOJ and responses from Trump allies and critics.
The USPS is moving to allow concealable firearms to be mailed domestically under safeguards similar to rifles and shotguns. Democratic attorneys general in about two dozen states are opposing the plan, arguing it undermines state gun laws and enables access for people not legally permitted to possess firearms.
Omar has been sprayed with apple cider vinegar while criticizing federal immigration crackdowns; the assailant has pleaded guilty to assaulting a U.S. officer. Omar has not been injured and continues to speak about immigration policy.
The investigation into former CIA director John Brennan has gained momentum, with FBI agents interviewing current and former CIA officers about Brennan’s role in producing a 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment that referenced the Steele dossier. Prosecutors are examining whether Brennan gave false testimony to Congress and how the dossier influenced the report.
The Justice Department has faced multiple challenges as federal courts have limited or quashed civil subpoenas seeking transgender-care records for minors. NYU Langone has publicly acknowledged receiving a subpoena in a federal criminal probe, while Rhode Island Hospital and other centers face ongoing court battles and class-action suits over patient privacy and access to care.
A federal judge has halted arrests inside immigration courthouses and ordered limits on such actions, citing the need to protect access to removal hearings. The ruling follows a series of controversial arrests and evolving government positions in immigration enforcement.
Nvidia has reported $58.32 billion in profit and $81.62 billion in revenue for the February–April quarter, beating analysts’ expectations. The company has projected about $91 billion in revenue for the current quarter, while preparing a $80 billion stock buyback and boosting its dividend. Shares traded modestly after hours, with investors weighing a possible cooldown after years of AI-driven growth.
The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit to acquire about 14 acres of land in Dona Ana County, near Mount Cristo Rey, to install fencing, lighting, and surveillance near the border. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces is contesting the seizure, arguing it burdens religious exercise and sacred use of the site, which hosts annual pilgrimages. Compulsory possession would be added to ongoing legal battles over border infrastructure.
Dan Sohail has pleaded guilty to intentionally damaging religious property after plowing his car into the Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn. No one was injured. Federal sentencing guidelines apply; a sentencing date has not been set.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe has met Cuban officials in Havana to discuss intelligence, economic stability and security. U.S. prosecutors have been expected to unseal an indictment against 94-year-old Raúl Castro in Miami on May 20 over the 1996 shootdown of exile planes, according to U.S. and Cuban sources.
New York City Mayor Mamdani has posted a Nakba Day video featuring a Palestinian survivor. The one‑sided framing has drawn swift pushback from Jewish groups and lawmakers who say the portrayal omits counterpoint history and risks inflaming antisemitism. The video was released as Nakba Day rallies unfold in New York and amid broader debate over how history is presented in public messaging.
U.S. prosecutors have unsealed a complaint charging Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al‑Saadi with organising or supporting nearly 18–20 attacks across Europe, Canada and the United States tied to Iran‑backed Kataib Hezbollah and the IRGC. He has been transferred into U.S. custody, has appeared in Manhattan federal court and is being detained pending trial.
Texas Children’s Hospital has agreed to a $10 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and Texas authorities over Medicaid billing for gender-affirming care, firing five doctors and setting up a detransition clinic for five years. The deal comes amid a broader push by states to restrict or ban gender-related treatments for minors and accompanies a court-ordered review of practices.
Federal prosecutors in Miami have prepared to unseal an indictment against 94‑year‑old Raúl Castro over the 1996 shootdown of Brothers to the Rescue planes, officials have told reporters. The announcement is scheduled to coincide with a Miami ceremony honouring victims and would need grand‑jury approval. The move has come as U.S.–Cuba tensions are intensifying.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has posted a Nakba Day video featuring a survivor recounting displacement, prompting swift criticism from Jewish groups and officials who say the narrative omits key historical context and risks heightening antisemitism.
Alex Saab has been deported to the United States and is facing a money-laundering charge connected to a long-running bribery scheme tied to Maduro-era contracts. The new Venezuelan leadership is pursuing insider figures, with ongoing investigations touching CLAP program and oil deals.
U.S. prosecutors have indicted Raul Castro, Cuba’s former defense minister, on counts tied to the 1996 shootdown of two exile planes. Castro has been a central figure in Cuba’s military and politics for decades. The case intensifies U.S.–Cuba tensions as Cuban authorities condemn the charges and rally in support of their government.
The EU Council has ended its temporary suspension of parts of the EU Visa Code for Ethiopian nationals, saying cooperation on readmission and return operations has improved. The repeal will take effect after formal notification to member states; Denmark and Ireland are not participating in the decision.
The Justice Department has charged Raul Castro over the 1996 downing of two civilian planes, amid a broader U.S. effort to pressure Havana. President Trump’s team is pursuing regime change, tying sanctions and diplomatic pushes to hopes of reshaping Cuba’s leadership. Rubio and U.S. officials frame the move as urgent relief for a Cuban populace starved of electricity and fuel.
The United States has indicted Raul Castro for murder and conspiring to kill U.S. nationals over the 1996 shootdown of Brothers to the Rescue planes, as part of a broader push by the Trump administration to hold Cuban leaders to account. Cuban President Diaz-Canel dismisses the move as a political maneuver, while prosecutors say the case rests on decades of evidence and witness testimony.
The updates cover ongoing immigration issues across several countries: Colombia's tuition-free policy impact and its political transitions; U.S. courts discussing CDL authority and deportation matters; France dealing with deportation orders for immigrant students; and a U.S. judge ruling on entrapment in a voting case.
A federal lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C. challenges the CFPB’s recent ECOA rule change, arguing it ends disparate-impact considerations and could steer lending toward white neighborhoods, heightening minority access to credit risks. Plaintiffs warn of broader efforts to dismantle fair-housing protections.
Federal prosecutors have charged dozens in the Minnesota Feeding Our Future network for pandemic-era fraud, with Aimee Bock's case highlighting the broader scheme. New indictments and sentencing developments are shaping ongoing scrutiny of Medicaid and related relief programs nationwide.
Since mid‑May the U.S. has unsealed an indictment charging former Cuban leader Raúl Castro over the 1996 downing of civilian planes, tightened sanctions including broad measures against GAESA, deployed the USS Nimitz to the Caribbean, and imposed an oil blockade that has triggered blackouts and economic strain in Cuba.
A coalition of states and the federal government are clashing over anti-ICE measures and undercover enforcement rules. New York’s budget package tightens cooperation with federal immigration authorities, while other states and the DOJ have filed lawsuits or threatened legal action to defend or contest these policies.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said the department is drawing up plans to halt customs processing at international airports in sanctuary cities, signaling a potential disruption to major hubs including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. He has also argued that sanctuary jurisdictions hinder immigration enforcement and may prompt changes to travel safety procedures.
A U.S. judge has dismissed a prohibition against vindictive prosecution in the Abrego Garcia case, ruling that the government’s actions were tainted by timing and public statements around deportation. The ruling follows a 2025 deportation to El Salvador and a 2026 criminal case that was later dropped while investigations cited potential vindictive motives.
The Third Circuit has declined to rehear Mahmoud Khalil's challenge to his detention and potential deportation, leaving open a path for a Supreme Court review as Khalil pursues First Amendment and due process claims amid a high-profile pro-Palestinian campus case.
Federal prosecutors have opened a criminal inquiry into whether E. Jean Carroll lied under oath in depositions tied to two civil suits she won against Donald Trump; the probe is focusing on statements about outside funding, including donations from Reid Hoffman’s nonprofit, and is being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago.
Connecticut student has been charged with burglary and criminal trespass as a hate crime after raising a flag with antisemitic symbols and a Star of David at NYU’s Steinhardt School during May graduation festivities. He has pleaded not guilty and was released on recognizance; NYU vows disciplinary action.
The Justice Department has created an almost $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund to resolve a personal-capacity lawsuit against the IRS. Four commissioners appointed by the attorney general will administer it, with Trump retaining influence over the process. Critics warn of conflicts of interest and potential pay-outs to allies, while some lawmakers call the arrangement corrupt.
The Supreme Court has ruled Mississippi's jury selection in Pitchford’s capital trial violated Batson v. Kentucky, giving Pitchford a potential new trial after decades on death row; the ruling follows heightened scrutiny of race-based jury practices and echoes earlier Flowers rulings.
An ICE agent, Christian Castro, has been arrested in Texas on state charges over the January 14 non‑fatal shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa‑Celis in Minneapolis. Hennepin County prosecutors have charged Castro with four counts of second‑degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime; Minnesota investigators located and took him into custody on May 29.
The White House has signed an executive order establishing a voluntary 30-day review process for advanced AI models before public release. The order tasks agencies including the NSA and Treasury with vetting national‑security and cybersecurity risks and asks developers to share models and vulnerability findings voluntarily.
Federal investigators are examining whether George Santos placed bets on Kalshi about his own attendance at the State of the Union, with the trades flagged by the market and referred to the DOJ and CFTC. Santos has previously been convicted and pardoned, and his current status is under scrutiny as prediction markets face regulatory pressure.
The Independent reports that efforts to address racial inequities in schools are being cast as discriminatory against white students. Investigations have expanded, and districts face funding threats as the White House labels some DEI programs illegal. LAUSD and Chicago campaigns face renewed scrutiny.