Jonathan Shorman

In the weeds a bit but interesting that the court does not cite the Purcell precedent (barring meddling in election law too close to an election), as @rickhasen.bsky.social points out, but nevertheless seems to invoke it while citing a different case (left).

Kagan (right) responds:

*reading this decision

Relevant possibly to Kansas, where GOP lawmakers may take up a gerrymander once their regular session starts in January, after failing to get signatures to call a special session this fall

If you’re a state lawmaker reading at decision, are you walking away with the message that the closer you push your mid-decade redraw to an election, the more impervious to legal challenge your map is likely to be (at least for the cycle at hand)?

Supreme Court orders Texas to use 2025 map amid legal battle The ruling is a major win for the Trump administration and Texas Republicans, who engineered the map to give the GOP control of 30 of the state’s 38 congressional districts.

BREAKING: Texas can use its new, GOP friendly congressional map while a legal challenge plays out, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, temporarily pausing a lower court ruling that had blocked the map from going into effect. www.texastribune.org/2025/12/02/t...

Tina Peters applies for Trump pardon, lawyer says | Colorado Newsline Tina Peters, the former Mesa County clerk who is serving a Colorado prison sentence, has applied for a pardon from President Donald Trump.

Tina Peters, the former Mesa County clerk who is serving a Colorado prison sentence, has applied for a pardon from President Donald Trump, according to her lawyer.

Federal judge blocks sweeping immigration arrests in D.C. without warrants • Wisconsin Examiner A federal judge barred federal agents from carrying out warrantless arrests in the District of Columbia without probable cause

Federal judge blocks sweeping immigration arrests in D.C. without warrants via @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social wisconsinexaminer.com/2025/12/03/r...

More industries want Trump’s help hiring immigrant labor after farms get a break • Stateline As food prices remain high, the Trump administration has made it easier for farmers to hire foreign guest workers and to pay them less. Now, other industries with large immigrant workforces also are asking for relief as they combat labor shortages and raids.

From @timhenderson.bsky.social: Industries with large immigrant workforces are asking for relief as they combat labor shortages and raids.

https://stateline.org/2025/12/03/more-industries-want-trumps-help-hiring-immigrant-labor-after-farms-get-a-break/

In Memphis, volunteers document Task Force arrests and provide aid to those left behind • Tennessee Lookout Vecindarios 901, a Memphis rapid response network to report on Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities, tracks task force arrests.

Senior Reporter @anitawadhwani.bsky.social profiles Vecindarios 901, a rapid response network to report on Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities in Memphis. A volunteer photographed the aftermath of a mom taken from her home, her twin toddlers left behind.

Trump pardons Texas Democratic Rep. Cuellar in bribery and conspiracy case President Donald Trump says he's pardoning Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas and his wife in a federal bribery and conspiracy case.

BREAKING: Trump pardons Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife in a bribery and conspiracy case brought by federal prosecutors.

Justice Department sues 6 more states for voter lists • Stateline The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday expanded its legal campaign to force states to turn over voter lists containing sensitive personal information, suing six more states that have refused to pro...

The Department of Justice is suing 6 more states for unredacted voter lists. Democratic election officials have raised concerns about data privacy

stateline.org/2025/12/03/j...

Call for sources: I'm looking to interview folks who've sought health care at crisis pregnancy centers, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and want to talk about their experience. The center can be located anywhere. If you or someone you know might be interested, please email or send me a DM.

Since it's Giving Tuesday, I wanted to resurface this thread from last week. Thank you to all who read and support @stateline.org

Donate • Stateline Stateline is a nonprofit news operation that depends on support from people like you to produce high-quality journalism without advertising, subscription fees or paywalls.

This Giving Tuesday, you can make a difference by supporting the Stateline team.

Our nonprofit newsroom depends on donations from readers like you to produce high-quality journalism without advertising, subscription fees or paywalls. Can we count on your support?

https://stateline.org/donate/

Roger Golubski died a year ago. Victims say Kansas City, Kansas, hasn't delivered justice Victims of the disgraced KCKPD detective and other social justice advocates fear that any accountability in Wyandotte County died with Golubski. “How and when does the statute of limitations run out o...

It's been one year since disgraced KCKPD Detective Roger Golubski committed suicide just as his federal trial was to start. Victims say their hopes for justice also died that day. www.kcur.org/news/2025-12...

Homeland Security wants state driver’s license data for sweeping citizenship program • Stateline The Trump administration wants access to state driver’s license data on millions of U.S. residents as it builds a powerful citizenship verification program amid its clampdown on voter fraud and illega...

The whole SAVE project has raised privacy concerns. I went in-depth on the issues specifically surrounding driver’s license records last week: stateline.org/2025/11/25/h...

DHS has settled a lawsuit w/ 4 states brought during the Biden admin. DHS agrees to overhaul of SAVE (something it’s already doing) and the states promise to back DHS efforts to obtain driver’s license records through the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System

4 Republican states will help Homeland Security obtain driver’s license records • Stateline Four Republican states have agreed to help the Trump administration gain access to state driver’s license data through a nationwide law enforcement computer network as part of the administration’s hun...

From @jonshorman.bsky.social: Four Republican states have agreed to help the Trump administration gain access to state driver’s license data through a nationwide law enforcement computer network as part of the administration’s hunt for alleged noncitizen voters.

stateline.org/2025/12/01/4...

4 Republican states will help Homeland Security obtain driver’s license records • Stateline Four Republican states have agreed to help the Trump administration gain access to state driver’s license data through a nationwide law enforcement computer network as part of the administration’s hun...

Florida, Iowa, Indiana and Ohio agreed to help DHS as the agency seeks access to link its citizenship verification tool — SAVE — to a national computer network that lets law enforcement exchange driver’s license data

stateline.org/2025/12/01/4...

4 Republican states will help Homeland Security obtain driver’s license records • Stateline Four Republican states have agreed to help the Trump administration gain access to state driver’s license data through a nationwide law enforcement computer network as part of the administration’s hun...

NEW: Some Republican states will help Homeland Security obtain driver’s license records for agency’s powerful citizenship program, court document shows

stateline.org/2025/12/01/4...

Congress to probe U.S. strikes on boats in Caribbean WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate and House Armed Services committees will open bipartisan inquiries into U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-running boats in the Caribbean Sea, with a focus on an alle...

Congress to probe U.S. strikes on boats in Caribbean, @ashleymurray.bsky.social reports for @statesnewsroom.com:

ICE courthouse arrests meet resistance from Democratic states • Kansas Reflector A growing number of Democratic states, and some judges, are pushing back against Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests in and around state courthouses.

ICE courthouse arrests meet resistance from Democratic states | via @jonshorman.bsky.social #ksleg

Via Jonathan Shorman and Stateline: The Trump administration wants access to state driver’s license data on millions of U.S. residents as it builds a powerful citizenship verification program amid its clampdown on voter fraud and illegal immigration. https://ow.ly/WSZW50Xyihy

Donate • Stateline

On Black Friday, I'm going to make a rare appeal: If you have a buck or two to spare and appreciate the work I do at @stateline.org, please consider making a donation.

Here's why (1 of 7)

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It’s all helpful, but if you donate at that link it will specifically go to help Stateline

About • Stateline Stateline journalists illuminate the big challenges and policy trends that cross state borders. We cover health care, education, the environment and other issues that shape our daily lives — and can b...

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PS No one asked me to do this thread; it's all me

ICE courthouse arrests meet resistance from Democratic states • Stateline A growing number of Democratic states, and some judges, are pushing back against Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests in and around state courthouses.

And earlier in November, I reported on how ICE is targeting individuals for arrests at state courthouses — not just federal immigration courts — and how some states are pushing back

stateline.org/2025/11/19/i...

One urban crossroad, 3 new districts: Kansas City braces for Missouri gerrymander • Stateline A congressional redistricting plan has set off a bitter political battle in Missouri that’s left many in Kansas City feeling angry and dismissed.

As Missouri lawmakers moved to gerrymander its congressional map in September, I wrote this deep dive story on how the new lines divide a Kansas City neighborhood

stateline.org/2025/09/09/o...

Trump wants states to feed voter info into powerful citizenship data program • Stateline The Trump administration is developing a powerful data tool it claims will let states identify noncitizens registered to vote. But Democratic critics and data experts warn it could allow the federal g...

In August, I was one of only two reporters at a nationwide conference of state secretaries of state and staff. That allowed me to write this story tracking the development of a powerful Homeland Security citizenship data tool

stateline.org/2025/08/15/t...

Stateline publishes in-depth work, rooted in coverage of state policy, week after week. If you've ever heard the complaint, "I wish the news would cover more policy and less horserace" — well, we do. We have no paywall and no advertising. Just journalism.

Here's a few examples from me...