**Trump Administration Confronts Legal Challenges Over Executive Orders**

In the initial 24 hours of Donald Trump’s administration, the president implemented 26 executive orders, initiating a conservative policy framework. By March, the administration had executed 89 executive actions, as reported by the nonpartisan American Presidency Project.

Legal disputes promptly ensued. Just six days post-inauguration, Just Security, an online platform for legal and political analysis, launched a **litigation tracker centered on Trump** to monitor lawsuits brought forth by civil rights groups, labor organizations, state authorities, and individuals contesting the administration’s policies. Other legal entities have established similar tracking systems.

As of this writing, Just Security’s tracker identifies 119 ongoing cases spanning various policy domains, such as federal grants, environmental policies, and immigration issues. Some legal actions contest Trump’s **exit from international climate accords** and the **removal of climate information** from federal websites.

Federal courts have intervened in various cases, blocking or postponing certain policies while validating others. Below is an overview of the key legal confrontations facing the administration.

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### **Assault on LGBTQ Rights**

Early in his administration, Trump issued an executive order that defined gender as exclusively male or female, established at conception. This order has resulted in the **retraction of LGBTQ protections** and the **application of federal law against transgender individuals**, as noted by the Human Rights Campaign and the ACLU.

The ACLU has initiated a **federal lawsuit** against the U.S. State Department on behalf of seven plaintiffs, contesting a policy that forbids the “X” gender marker on U.S. passports and mandates individuals to adhere to the sex assigned at birth. The suit claims this policy infringes upon Americans’ **right to travel and privacy** and violates the **Equal Protection Clause** of the Constitution.

Other lawsuits contest Trump’s executive actions prohibiting **gender-affirming care for transgender youth** and **barring transgender student athletes from participating on teams that correspond with their gender identity**. The LGBTQ organization PFLAG argues that these limitations represent **discrimination and executive overreach**.

Moreover, lawsuits have been initiated against the **Pentagon’s prohibition on transgender military service members**, rekindling legal disputes from Trump’s initial term. Additional cases challenge policies that **mandate transgender inmates to be housed in facilities inconsistent with their gender identity**, a practice associated with **increased rates of violence and sexual trauma**.

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### **Abolishing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives**

On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order named **”Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing,”** instructing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to dismantle DEI initiatives. A subsequent order revoked several equal employment opportunity directives.

Education organizations, including the **National Education Association (NEA)** and the **American Federation of Teachers (AFT)**, have filed lawsuits against the administration regarding its anti-DEI measures. Their complaints assert that a **Department of Education directive that prohibits affirmative action and DEI programs** breaches **free speech, due process, and federal rule-making statutes**.

Other groups, like the **National Urban League** and the **National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education**, have also initiated lawsuits, arguing that the executive orders are unconstitutional. Local advocacy organizations, such as the **San Francisco AIDS Foundation** and **Chicago Women in Trades**, contend that the elimination of DEI programs detrimentally affects funding and community services.

Lawsuits have also been filed against federal agencies associated with these policies, including the **National Endowment for the Arts**, **Education Secretary Denise Carter**, and the **Department of Education**.

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### **Immigration Regulations and Birthright Citizenship**

Trump’s executive order **”Protecting The American People Against Invasion”** has resulted in heightened **ICE and CBP enforcement actions**, in line with his vision of mass deportations.

The administration has mandated **expedited removals** of undocumented individuals without trials, prompting a legal challenge from **Make the Road New York**, which claims this policy is unconstitutional. Furthermore, the **Department of Homeland Security (DHS)** revoked Biden-era guidelines that prohibited immigration raids in sensitive areas such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship. Religious groups, including **Quaker and Mennonite congregations**, along with the **Denver Public School System**, have sued DHS, citing breaches of **religious freedom and due process**.

Additional lawsuits contest the administration’s decisions to:
– **Revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelan asylum seekers**
– **Halt refugee and asylum processes**
– **Dismantle the CBP One app**
– **Transfer detained migrants to Guantanamo Bay**

Another **day-one executive order**, **”Protecting The Meaning And Value Of American Citizenship,”** removes **birthright citizenship for children of undocumented residents**. The ACLU, immigrant rights organizations, and