Virginia Judge Dismisses Trump Administration Lawsuit Against Maryland Judges

A federal judge in Virginia, U.S. District Judge Thomas Cullen, dismissed an unprecedented lawsuit filed by the Trump administration against Maryland’s entire federal judiciary, including all 15 judges and the court clerk. The suit challenged standing orders that temporarily halted deportations of migrants who filed habeas corpus petitions, arguing that these orders infringed on presidential authority over immigration enforcement. Judge Cullen, a Trump appointee himself, ruled the lawsuit violated the separation of powers and judicial immunity, emphasizing that the administration should have pursued standard legal avenues like appeals instead of suing the judges collectively. He criticized the administration's derogatory rhetoric toward judges, calling the effort to undermine judicial authority “potentially calamitous” and underscoring the constitutional role of the judiciary as a co-equal branch of government. Cullen warned that allowing the lawsuit to proceed would offend the rule of law and depart from longstanding constitutional traditions. This legal action reflects the ongoing tension between the Trump administration and the federal courts over immigration policy enforcement.