Social Movements & the Law

President Donald Trump's onetime defense attorney has been appointed acting librarian of Congress. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche replaces longtime librarian Carla Hayden, whom the White House fired last week amid criticism from some conservatives that she was advancing a “woke” agenda.

“The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and its members are deeply disappointed in the administration’s decision to terminate Dr. Carla Hayden as Librarian of Congress,” said Andrew K. Pace,...

A new analysis by the National Women's Law Center captures how President Trump's mass job cuts are chipping away at the diversity of the federal workforce.

A new policy in Hennepin County, Minnesota, that allows prosecutors to consider racial identity in plea deals has led to a probe by the U.S. Department of Justice.

WaPo: Justice Department lawyers defending the Trump administration’s policies are encountering mounting criticism and frustration from federal judges, a sign of deepening tension between the executive branch and courts weighing its aggressive uses of power. In recent hearings and rulings, … Continue reading “Justice Department lawyers face skeptical judges upset by ‘shoddy work'” →

President Donald Trump’s latest executive order about “sanctuary jurisdictions” has begun a second round of legal battles over the constitutionality of federal government sanctions against state and local governments.

On May 2, a federal judge in Texas determined that the Trump administration is improperly relying on a founding-era law in order to deport Venezuelan nationals living in the United States suspected of gang-related activities.

A federal judge Tuesday wrote that President Trump's executive order dismantling the IMLS "disregards the fundamental constitutional role of each of the branches of our federal government."

The law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) recently joined a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) task force geared towards finding and deporting immigrants, according to a

Inclusive Leadership: Perspectives From Academic Library Leaders

In a series of vetoes late Friday, May 2, Gov. Katie Hobbs rejected a variety of proposals from the Republican lead Legislature.

This repository, compiled by legal scholar Tim Zick, catalogues the breadth of unprecedented actions taken by the Trump administration that disregard fundamental First Amendment principles.

Threats to DEI are only growing stronger, with continued plans to introduce bills in the next legislative session, and attacks occurring on the accreditation front. Use our interactive dashboard to keep track of the evolving attacks on DEI across the states.

BOSTON, MA – April 30, 2025 - To honor Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, the Boston Public Library (BPL) is…

Tribes that rely on the Colorado River — and the complex set of rules that govern it — are worried as the Donald Trump administration takes actions affecting their access to water.

Unaccompanied minors who cross the border are uniquely vulnerable to trafficking. Now, legal aid groups that help them are facing funding cuts.

More children could be in dangerous child labor situations if Federal cuts continue that until recently have paid for legal services for migrant children.

Language is at the heart of Diné identity, carrying with it stories, traditions, and a worldview deeply rooted in the land and history of the Navajo people. As Diné poets, educators, and language advocates work to sustain Diné Bizaad, many are embracing poetry, playwriting, and performance as tools for preservation and revitalization.Aresta Tsosie-Paddock is Naakaii Dine’é and born for Bįįh Bitoodnii. Her cheii is Tł’ízíłání and her nálí is Kinyaa’áanii.

The Trump administration plans to strictly require anyone illegally in the U.S. to register with the government and carry documentation.

The Tohono O’odham language is at risk of disappearing, with far fewer people speaking it today. To help keep it alive, the Tohono O’odham Nation has opened the O’odham Ňi’okĭ Ki: Language Center, which offers classes and resources for learning the language. There have also been events put on by the community to discuss how to continue the language into the future. Efforts by educators, elders and the community continue to look for solutions to keep O’odham alive.

The attrition rate for associates in law firms was 20% in 2024, up from 18% in 2023 but still lower than the historic high of 26% in 2021, according to the NALP Foundation for Law Career Research and Education.

Ed Martin sent a letter to the Wikimedia Foundation accusing it of spreading propaganda

Immigration lawyers outside Massachusetts are also receiving notices to self-deport, despite their U.S. citizenship.

North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong vetoed a library content bill, calling it “a misguided attempt to legislate morality through overreach and censorship.”

The digital age has dramatically expanded how we connect, communicate, and share. Yet with these advances come new risks—especially for vulnerable individuals targeted through online platforms. ...

This document is the result of a year of work and collaboration by the Trans Metadata Collective (TMDC; https://transmetadatacollective.org/), a group of dozens of cataloguers, librarians, archivists, scholars, and information professionals with a concerted interest in improving the description and classification of trans and gender diverse people in GLAMS (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums and Special Collections). The Collective’s primary goal was to develop a set of best practices for the description, cataloguing, and classification of information resources as well as the creation of metadata about trans and gender diverse people, including authors and other creators

Georgia is considering a bill aimed at preventing children from accessing explicit library material. Opponents say it would chill free speech