While many judges attempt to block President Donald Trump’s executive orders, Utah Sen. Mike Lee is drafting a bill to restrict their judicial power. The bill aims to restrict lower court judges in Utah from blocking executive orders.
“Separation of powers required by the Constitution is potentially implicated whenever a single district court judge issues an injunction against the entire U.S. government, with nationwide application,” Lee said.
Judges across the nation have blocked executive orders ranging from the dissolution of DEI programs to the allowance of ICE arrests in houses of worship. Although judges blocking Trump’s executive orders are both from federal and district courts, Lee drafted the bill in an effort to prevent district judges from blocking nationwide rulings. The bill would instead require a panel of three judges to block an executive order. Appeals to these rulings will go straight to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Vice President J.D. Vance spoke out on X about the judicial blocking of executive orders:
“If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal,” said Vance. “If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that’s also illegal. Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.”
Trump made 73 executive orders in the first month of his presidency, with 68 already in effect. With a ban on judicial rulings, opponents of Lee fear the executive branch’s power may go unchecked.
Author: Hannah Clove
Photo courtesy of Chip Somodevilla
Editor: Anna Mower
news@suunews.net
