Democracy Wins as 
Courts Block These Harmful Executive Orders

Written By Feminist

Trump has signed more than 100 executive orders since taking office— over 40 have been blocked in federal courts. They have disproportionately affected immigrants, the LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and trans communities, and women.

When the President signs an executive order, people have the right to sue the government in federal court if it violates the Constitution or federal laws. The court system can take years to navigate, so judges issue “preliminary injunctions”, creating a “block”, or temporary pause, before the order can take effect.

A list of executive orders that have been blocked or halted

January 2025

  1. Ending Birthright Citizenship – Blocked for violating the 14th Amendment.

  2. Declaring a National Emergency at the Southern Border – Blocked due to overreach of presidential authority.

  3. Suspending U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) – Blocked for procedural violations. 

  4. Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement – Temporarily halted pending review of international treaty obligations.

  5. Restricting Government Interference in Free Speech – Blocked for potential First Amendment violations.

  6. Freezing Federal Hiring – Partially blocked due to impact on veterans' benefits.

  7. Defining "Sex" as Biological – Blocked for conflicts with existing anti-discrimination laws.

  8. Halting Offshore Wind Leasing – Blocked for inadequate environmental review.

  9. Establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – Blocked for lack of congressional approval.

  10. Directing Death Penalty Pursuits for Certain Crimes – Blocked for conflicting with Supreme Court precedents.

February 2025

  1. Freezing Federal Grant Funding – Blocked for procedural overreach.

  2. Eliminating DEI Initiatives in Federal Agencies – Blocked for violating civil rights protections.

  3. Closure of USAID Programs – Blocked due to humanitarian aid concerns.

  4. Restricting Transgender Inmate Transfers – Blocked as discriminatory and unsafe.

  5. Ending COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates in Schools – Blocked for conflicts with state authority.

  6. Pausing Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement – Temporarily blocked pending legal review.

  7. Restricting Paper Straw Use in Federal Buildings – Blocked for lack of statutory authority.

  8. Revising Federal Workforce Reduction Policies – Partially blocked due to labor law violations.

  9. Establishing "Make America Healthy Again" Commission – Blocked for lack of clear statutory basis.

March–April 2025

  1. Targeting Law Firms Representing Opposing Political Interests – Blocked as unconstitutional retaliation.

  2. Apprehension of Immigrants in Places of Worship – Blocked under religious freedom protections.

  3. Expanding Migrant Detention at Guantanamo Bay – Blocked due to international law concerns.

  4. Mandating Deployment of Missile Defense Systems Domestically ("Iron Dome for America”) – Temporarily blocked pending security assessments.

*This list reflects ongoing legal challenges and may evolve as cases progress through the court system.*

Sources: Forbes, Ballotpedia, NPR, WhiteHouse, NAFSA

Orders Being Challenged (but not officially blocked) 

Additional orders related to immigration enforcement policies and environmental deregulations have also faced partial or full injunctions but lack detailed public information due to ongoing litigation and sealed court records.

  1. Banning Trans Women and Girls in Women’s Sports – States and advocacy groups filed lawsuits arguing the order violates Title IX gender discrimination policies.

  2. “Patriotic” Education Initiative – Facing lawsuits for violations of anti-discrimination laws.

  3. America First Investment Policy – Critics argue it could violate international trade agreements; no formal court rulings yet.

  4. Restricting Gender-Affirming Care for Youth – Medical organizations and civil rights groups have filed lawsuits, arguing that the order violates minors' constitutional rights and federal healthcare laws.

  5. Withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO) – Criticized internationally; no formal legal challenges have been reportedly filed yet.

  6. Designating Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations – Facing lawsuits from civil rights groups and international organizations for overreach and human rights concerns.

  7. Stripping Power from Independent Regulatory Agencies (ex. FEC, FCC, SEC) – Challenged in court by the Democratic National Committee and other groups, no ruling delivered at this time.

*This list reflects ongoing legal challenges and may evolve as cases progress through the court system.* 

Sources: Forbes, NWLC, ACLU

Why have there been so many “blocks” by federal courts in recent years? 

Due to the increased polarization of Congress, administrations are relying more heavily on executive orders to further their agendas. This creates more orders, and more retaliatory lawsuits.

TAKE ACTION

👉 Contact Your Representatives: Call, email, or write to your representatives and demand bold opposition to Project 2025 and the MAGA agenda. @5calls 

👉 Your vote shapes the courts. Elect judges who will uphold our rights and protect our freedoms—every election matters.

👉 Visit our Mental Health Toolkit for more resources: feminists.co/mental-health-help 

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Feminist

FEMINIST is a women-led social-first digital media platform and collective that exists to actualize the intersectional feminist movement through the amplification of a diverse network of change-makers and creators. With a global audience of over 6.5M+, it is the largest social platform serving the multifaceted lives of women, girls and gender expansive people. As the hub for a socially conscious global community by and for purpose-driven makers through media, technology and commerce, FEMINIST seeks to amplify, educate, inform and inspire.

https://feminists.co
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