Brennan Center

How a Presidential Power Grab Disrupted Federally Funded Child Care As the Trump administration’s attempt to pause trillions of dollars in federal grants is being challenged in the courts, providers and families are left hanging.

The Trump administration’s attempt to pause trillions of dollars in federal funding is being challenged in the courts. In the meantime, providers and families that rely on this funding for childcare are left hanging: bit.ly/4obJUCA

The Court Fight to Stop the Federal Funding Freeze A bipartisan coalition is standing up for checks and balances.

Upholding the separation of powers is an essential check against tyranny — it requires the persistent work of taking on every power grab by this administration. bit.ly/44VZ4EK

Birthright Citizenship Under the U.S. Constitution The 14th Amendment has long been understood to grant American citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil.

The executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship cuts against the long-standing interpretation of the 14th Amendment as a broad, inclusive grant of U.S. citizenship. Here’s what to know about the issue as legal challenges play out:
bit.ly/44Tm6Mn

The Trump Administration’s Campaign to Undermine the Next Election The executive branch is interfering in U.S. elections in unprecedented ways.

An important new analysis: we’re now seeing a strategy unfold to undermine the 2026 election. It’s unprecedented and often illegal. And it will be a big and growing story for the next year and a half. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

The Trump Administration’s Campaign to Undermine the Next Election The executive branch is interfering in U.S. elections in unprecedented ways.

A new threat to free and fair elections has emerged: the federal government. We chronicle the executive branch’s concerted strategy to push its way into election infrastructure where it doesn’t belong.

Appeals Court Strips Voters’ Ability to File Voting Rights Act Lawsuits in 7 States For decades, voters and organizations have successfully brought lawsuits against racially discriminatory voting rules under Section 2 of the civil rights law.

The Supreme Court just put an appeals court ruling on hold while it considers taking an important Voting Right Act case. The move restores — at least temporarily — voters’ ability to sue over discriminatory voting policies. More on the case:
bit.ly/3HhtrvV

Big Donors Already Making Mark on New Jersey and Virginia’s 2025 Governors’ Elections The two states with gubernatorial races this year are on track for historically high spending driven by six- and seven-figure donations.

In Virginia’s gubernatorial race, the democratic candidate has raised $27 million and the Republican candidate has raised $12 million. And interests looking to influence those races still have months left to spend. bit.ly/4oa38bL

How a Presidential Power Grab Disrupted Federally Funded Child Care As the Trump administration’s attempt to pause trillions of dollars in federal grants is being challenged in the courts, providers and families are left hanging.

The administration's sudden freeze of federal funds earlier this year had real and immediate consequences for thousands of Americans — including a Wisconsin daycare facility. Here's how the pause affected, even temporarily, recipients: bit.ly/4obJUCA

The Court Fight to Stop the Federal Funding Freeze A bipartisan coalition is standing up for checks and balances.

In a friend-of-the-court brief representing 157 members of Congress, the Brennan Center explains how the administration's withholding of congressionally appropriated funds violates the Constitution. bit.ly/44VZ4EK

One American’s Struggle to Vote in Texas Voting in the state suddenly became costly and arduous after Senate Bill 1 became law.

With a new voter suppression law in effect, one Texan’s experience involved confusing rules, multiple attempts to receive a mail ballot, and paying $50 to express ship it in time for her vote to be counted. bit.ly/3HeIMgV

Birthright Citizenship Under the U.S. Constitution The 14th Amendment has long been understood to grant American citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil.

As lawsuits challenging the president’s attempt to end birthright citizenship make their way through courts around the country, we explain what the 14th Amendment says about birthright citizenship and why it matters.
bit.ly/44Tm6Mn

One American’s Struggle to Vote in Texas Voting in the state suddenly became costly and arduous after Senate Bill 1 became law.

A Texas voter recounts her attempts to cast a ballot under a strict new law: “To this day, I’m still not sure [my vote] was counted.” bit.ly/3HeIMgV

The super PAC affiliated with Pres. Trump, MAGA Inc., has raised approximately $200 million since election day, almost entirely in donations of more than $1 million. This is completely unprecedented for a president 6 months into his term—it’s more than 6 times the prior record.

Not the Fix Our Immigration System Needs The administration’s militarized immigration crackdown is eroding civil liberties — and it comes amid ICE’s resistance to lawful congressional oversight.

The administration’s militarized immigration crackdown is eroding civil liberties. And it comes amid ICE’s resistance to congressional oversight.
bit.ly/4eF7rYs

How Trump’s AI Policy Could Compromise the Technology A new executive order says that the government will only buy artificial intelligence models that are neutral and nonpartisan, but in reality, the policy would require technology companies to conform t...

A new executive order declares that the government will only buy AI models that are neutral and nonpartisan, but in reality, the policy would require technology companies to conform to the administration’s ideology.

How a Presidential Power Grab Disrupted Federally Funded Child Care As the Trump administration’s attempt to pause trillions of dollars in federal grants is being challenged in the courts, providers and families are left hanging.

How have you seen cuts to sciences impact your work or community? We'd love to hear. For more as this case develops, follow me, @tomtmwolf.bsky.social, @lmillerkaralunas.bsky.social, and the @brennancenter.org. And learn more about the case here: www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

“This is yet another attempt to circumvent the Posse Comitatus Act, which normally prohibits the military from engaging in civilian law enforcement activities," @lizagoitein.bsky.social of @brennancenter.org told @theintercept.com

How States Can Fill Election Security Gaps Left by Federal Cuts From cybersecurity assessments and training to coordination with law enforcement agencies, state governments need to provide wide-ranging support to ensure smooth and secure elections.

In the face of growing election security threats, states need to ensure that cyberattacks and other incidents don’t affect the voters casting ballots or election workers counting them.
bit.ly/46ojzLn

National Guard Ordered to Do ICE Paperwork at Immigration Facilities in 20 States Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to immigration facilities further blurs the line between military and law enforcement.

Trump's deployment of National Guard to immigration facilities "is yet another attempt to circumvent the Posse Comitatus Act," says @lizagoitein.bsky.social. That law bars military from engaging in civilian law enforcement.

The Court Fight to Stop the Federal Funding Freeze A bipartisan coalition is standing up for checks and balances.

Upholding the separation of powers is an essential check against tyranny — it requires the persistent work of taking on every power grab by this administration. bit.ly/44VZ4EK

Birthright Citizenship Under the U.S. Constitution The 14th Amendment has long been understood to grant American citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil.

As lawsuits challenging the president’s attempt to end birthright citizenship make their way through courts around the country, we explain what the 14th Amendment says about birthright citizenship and why it matters.
bit.ly/44Tm6Mn

One American’s Struggle to Vote in Texas Voting in the state suddenly became costly and arduous after Senate Bill 1 became law.

With a new voter suppression law in effect, one Texan’s experience involved confusing rules, multiple attempts to receive a mail ballot, and paying $50 to express ship it in time for her vote to be counted. bit.ly/3HeIMgV

The purpose of the 14th Amendment was to settle who is a citizen of this country and provide a broad definition of citizenship. No president can change that. Read: bit.ly/44Tm6Mn

Federal funding cuts and budgetary "freezes" have hit science and technology especially hard — and we could be grappling with the consequences for decades. The annotated guide below includes one brief by Dr. Arati Prabhakar laying out the stakes. Short thread: www.brennancenter.org/media/14193/...

Trump Defunds Effective Crime-Prevention Policies Misguided budget cuts could reverse encouraging crime trends.

Crime is down — so why cut federal programs that have contributed to the decline? bit.ly/3Upeuen

Appeals Court Strips Voters’ Ability to File Voting Rights Act Lawsuits in 7 States For decades, voters and organizations have successfully brought lawsuits against racially discriminatory voting rules under Section 2 of the civil rights law.

The Supreme Court just put an appeals court ruling on hold while it considers taking an important Voting Right Act case. The move restores — at least temporarily — voters’ ability to sue over discriminatory voting policies. More on the case:
bit.ly/3HhtrvV

Big Donors Already Making Mark on New Jersey and Virginia’s 2025 Governors’ Elections The two states with gubernatorial races this year are on track for historically high spending driven by six- and seven-figure donations.

The 2025 elections in New Jersey and Virginia may be each state’s most expensive election yet, following a trend seen across the country: Election spending is steeply rising, driven by large amounts from a rarified donor class. bit.ly/4oa38bL

How a Presidential Power Grab Disrupted Federally Funded Child Care As the Trump administration’s attempt to pause trillions of dollars in federal grants is being challenged in the courts, providers and families are left hanging.

The executive branch's attempted freeze of trillions of federal dollars was a clear overreach, since Congress alone holds the authority to determine how federal dollars are spent and for whom. bit.ly/4obJUCA

One American’s Struggle to Vote in Texas Voting in the state suddenly became costly and arduous after Senate Bill 1 became law.

A Texas voter recounts her attempts to cast a ballot under a strict new law: “To this day, I’m still not sure [my vote] was counted.” bit.ly/3HeIMgV

The Rise of the Imperial Presidency The once-obscure idea of a unitary executive is now central to debates over presidential power.

The executive branch has amassed sweeping power, threatening the constitutional balance. How can we protect democracy and restore checks and balances?

Join us for a virtual event on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at 3 p.m. ET with historians and legal experts. RSVP: