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SCOTUS Hears Birthright Case; Dems Grill Kristi Noem over Mass Deportations

HeadlineMay 15, 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments today on a case stemming from Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship. The Trump administration is challenging the power of federal courts to rule against Trump’s executive order and to impose “nationwide injunctions.”

In other news from D.C., Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told House lawmakers that she backed the idea of suspending habeas corpus to carry out the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda. At the hearing, California Democratic Congressmember Eric Swalwell blasted Noem for refusing to disavow President Trump’s use of a photoshopped image of a tattooed hand, which Trump claimed is proof the expelled Maryland father Kilmar Abrego Garcia was an MS-13 gang member. This is part of their exchange.

Rep. Eric Swalwell: “You are one of the chief law enforcement officials in the country. What have you done to investigate whether the president misrepresented the reason that that person has been detained?”

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem: “Sir, we spend our time” —

Rep. Eric Swalwell: “Have you — have you done anything to try and figure out whether that was doctored or not?”

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem: “The mission of the Department of Homeland Security is to secure our nation and to make sure that we’re out there going after those that are the worst of the worst, the criminals, the bad actors. Abrego Garcia” —

Rep. Eric Swalwell: “Yes. So, the answer is —

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem: — “is a known terrorist, member of” —

Rep. Eric Swalwell: — “you’ve done nothing to correct the president.”

In related news, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard has fired two senior officials who oversaw the National Intelligence Council’s report contradicting Trump’s rationale for invoking the Alien Enemies Act to expel alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua without due process.

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