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Rule of Law Versus Abuse of Power
The Constitution and its amendments are documents that seek to protect democracy from the threats that abuse power, prioritize one group above another, or disrupt the balance of power between branches of government â including the removal of checks on the executive branch. In recent history, we have seen examples of countries where representative governments have crumbled, such as in Venezuela and in the Philippines, among others, as legal and political checks on leaders were chipped away, one by one. The drafters of the Constitution predicted this weakness of human nature and structured the Constitution to protect against any person or group taking too much power from the people of the United…
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Alien Enemies Act: A Fraught and Rarely Used Law
In 1798, during a feared invasion by France, the U.S. government enacted a set of four bills targeting immigrants and noncitizens known as the Alien and Sedition Acts. Three of the four bills either expired or were repealed during President John Adams’ tenure. However, one of the original bills endured â the Alien Enemies Act. This law remains in effect today and allows the sitting president wartime authority to apprehend, intern, and deport immigrants who originate from an âenemy nation.â The Alien Enemies Act has been invoked three times in our nation’s history, each time during a major conflict: the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II.…
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Q&A About New Executive Orders Concerning Immigration and DeportationÂ
The new presidential administration has issued many executive orders focused on immigration issues since taking office. Some of these executive orders have already begun to impact families and systems, some are being challenged legally, and some will lead to actions and consequences that are not yet known. This brief Q&A intends to answer simple questions with currently available information about terms you might hear or read about in the coming days. Links to additional sources and more information related to each question are included. Q: What is âbirthright citizenshipâ?A: The 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868 and reads: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to…
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MWEG Response to Jan. 6 Pardons
President Donald Trumpâs indiscriminate pardons of those who participated in the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, fly in the face of the rule of law, legitimizing and excusing political violence when wielded against oneâs opponents. Those who participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection imposed chaos and terror on a time-honored process of certifying election results, disrupting the peaceful transfer of political power. While the use of pardons by presidents from both parties has been abused over past decades, with a particular escalation more recently by President Biden, President Trumpâs permissive and expansive pardon of more than 1,500 individuals, over 1,000 of whom pleaded guilty, is uniquely disturbing in its disregard…
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Presidential Power to Deploy Military Inside the U.S.
Did you know that for domestic affairs, the U.S. president holds power to deploy the military and National Guard without Congressional approval? Throughout our nationâs history, various presidential administrations have deployed military troops to manage domestic uprisings or large scale natural disasters. In 1807, Congress adopted the Insurrection Act in order to define the governmentâs â primarily the presidentâs â roles and responsibilities in these instances. What is the Insurrection Act? What is known as the Insurrection Act is actually a series of laws that empower the president to deploy military forces for domestic affairs. The laws give the president exclusive power to deploy troops in the event that a…
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Sustaining Progress: The Critical Role of PEPFARÂ
The U.S. Presidentâs Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) represents the largest financial commitment ever made by a single country to combat a single disease. Established in 2003 by President George W. Bush, PEPFAR has had overwhelming bipartisan support through 10 Congresses and four presidential administrations. Over the past 20 years, the U.S. government has invested more than $100 billion in the global HIV/AIDS response, saving more than 25 million lives and providing treatment to millions more. Since 2003, PEPFAR has been a cornerstone of global health efforts. However, its future is currently uncertain. In March 2024, PEPFAR received a one-year reauthorization, a departure from the program’s historical five-year extensions,…
