The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.

This is the beginning of Article III, section 1 of the US constitution, establishing the federal judiciary. Nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, and usually serving for life, federal judges serve a key role in the highest levels of the American justice system.

The federal judiciary is designed to exert a check on the power of the legislative and the executive branches.

Now that the Trump Administration is making sweeping changes to the way things are done in Washington, some federal judges are using this power to obstruct the President. But are they right to do so?

Joining Heritage Explains today is Senior Legal Fellow Hans von Spakovsky.

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Follow Hans on X: https://twitter.com/HvonSpakovsky?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

More by Hans at Heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/staff/hans-von-spakovsky

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Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

It’s clear that the Trump administration’s commitment to securing the southern border is working. But the question now is, how do we keep it working? What changes need to be made to the immigration system to keep us from heading back to the uncontrolled illegal migration of the Biden years?

One critical component, argues Heritage Immigration expert Lora Ries, is the reform of the asylum system, ensuring that people who are genuinely in danger have access, while discouraging fraudulent claims.

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Follow Lora Ries on X: https://x.com/lora_ries?lang=en

Lora’s report on Heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/border-security/report/the-us-must-redesign-asylum-law-21st-century-reality-and-put-america-first

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Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org

In the summer of 2020, with the George Floyd Riots in full swing, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser decided that 16th Avenue would gain a new status in American history. She designated the two block section of the Avenue closest to the white house as Black Lives Matter Plaza. The slogan was painted in 35-foot yellow letters on the street. Whether they wanted to or not, DC residents and visitors were forced to see them day in and day out. No doubt, the mayor and her allies believed they were symbolically staking the nation’s capitol as beholden to that morally questionable movement forever. But it was not to be forever.

In March of this year, DC workers have been seen removing the letters from Black Lives Matter plaza. The street is being returned to a normal pedestrian and traffic thoroughfare, free from political sloganeering. How did this happen?

To tell that story, I’m joined on the podcast by Heritage Senior Legal Fellow Zack Smith.

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Follow Zack Smith on X: https://x.com/tzsmith

Zack’s work at Heritage.org: https://www.heritage.org/staff/zack-smith

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Have thoughts? Let us know at heritageexplains@heritage.org