A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order to prevent the removal of a Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, after a lawsuit was filed by a group called Defend Arlington. The lawsuit claims the Army violated regulations in seeking a hasty removal of the memorial, and the restraining order will remain in effect until a hearing on the matter scheduled for January 6th. Work to remove the memorial had begun Monday before the restraining order was issued, but the memorial remains in place on cemetery grounds.
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed into law SB4, a sweeping new immigration bill that gives state law enforcement the power to arrest and seek the deportation of migrants suspected of crossing the border illegally. The bill has been met with strong opposition from civil rights groups, and is likely to face legal challenges in the coming months. Attorney General Ken Paxton has defended the bill, saying it is necessary to protect Texans from “dangerous criminals” and does not authorize racial profiling.
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a district judge's ruling that former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows must face state election interference charges in state court. Meadows had sought to have his case moved to a federal venue, citing a federal law, but Chief Judge William Pryor ruled that the statute does not apply to former officers. The charges against Meadows stem from a lawsuit filed by the Georgia Democratic Party in August, and he has denied the allegations. It is unclear when the case will proceed in state court.
Two former Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, have filed a lawsuit against former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, asking a federal judge to permanently bar him from making false claims about them. The 10-page complaint argues that Giuliani has continued to falsely accuse the mother and daughter pair of committing election fraud even after a federal jury found his statements to be false and defamatory. The suit seeks to put an end to Giuliani’s false accusations and prevent him from continuing to make them in the future.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers uncovered a shipment of illegal narcotics hidden in vats of jalapeño paste at the Otay Mesa Cargo Facility in San Diego, containing over 3,000 pounds of methamphetamine and 500 pounds of cocaine with an estimated value of $10 million. The shipment was found in a commercial tractor-trailer being driven by a 28-year-old male with a valid border crossing card, and officers seized the shipment and arrested the driver. This discovery is part of a larger effort to crack down on cartels smuggling drugs across the southern border, with more than 1.5 million pounds of narcotics seized in the past year.
The Supreme Court paid tribute to the late Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the court, with a ceremony attended by all nine current justices and retired Justice Anthony Kennedy. Her casket was carried up the steps of the court and passed under the words “Equal Justice Under Law” before being placed in the court’s Great Hall, which opened to the public for mourners to pay their respects. Justice Sonia Sotomayor spoke at the private ceremony, noting O’Connor's commitment to justice and equality for all.
CIA Director William Burns is in Poland to meet with Israeli and Qatari officials in an effort to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza. The U.S. military has been involved in the situation, engaging 14 one-way attack drones from Yemen, and the top two U.S. military leaders are now traveling to Tel Aviv to advise the Israeli government. The same group met twice last month in Doha, Qatar, in an attempt to resolve the hostage situation and prevent a wider regional conflict.
Ruby Franke, a former family vlogger, is expected to enter a plea agreement on Monday in Washington County, Utah, after being charged with six counts of felony child abuse. Police found two of her children with open wounds and malnourished, and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt was also charged with two counts of child abuse and one count of child endangerment. The case has sparked a national conversation about the responsibilities of parents and influencers, and Franke's plea agreement is expected to be a first step in resolving the case.