Military personnel board a U.S. Marine Osprey at the Naval Outlying Landing Field Friday, January 31, 2025, in Imperial Beach, California. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Defense officials fear impending Pentagon firings could break laws, harm military readiness
Defense officials responsible for drafting lists of Pentagon civilian employees set to be terminated as early as this week are raising concerns that the firings could violate federal law and hurt the U.S. military readiness, according to CNN.
Under U.S. law governing civilian personnel management in the armed forces, the Secretary of Defense cannot reduce the civilian workforce without conducting a full analysis of how the terminations would impact the military operations.
A senior defense official states that a thorough analysis has not been done yet, and colleagues are questioning if these firings are within legal guidelines.
Pentagon civilian employees covered under Title 10 in the U.S. Code typically hold roles related to national security.
Appeals court denies Trump’s request to reinstate birthright citizenship ban
A federal appeals court has denied the Trump administration’s order to reinstate a ban on birthright citizenship, according to The Guardian.
On Trump’s first day in office, he signed an executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who are not U.S. citizens, despite the 14th amendment guaranteeing this right.
The appeals court in San Francisco rejected the Trump administration’s request for an emergency appeal, stating that the government has not presented a strong legal case and that this matter was not an emergency.
Judge delays decision on whether to dismiss N.Y. Mayor Eric Adams’ corruption case
A federal judge questioned a Justice Department official seeking to dismiss corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, according to NBC News.
U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho did not come to a decision during the 90-minute hearing, designated to conclude on whether this case should be dismissed or not.
A deputy attorney general expressed concern to Ho that proceeding with this case could affect national security and immigration issues.