The Trump administration faced two legal setbacks within hours on Friday.
In California, a federal judge ordered the release of a Syrian national the government had sought to deport. Meanwhile, in Rhode Island, another judge blocked new restrictions on domestic violence programs that were introduced as part of President Trump’s campaign against what he calls “gender ideology.”
Details of both rulings were first shared on X by Kyle Cheney, senior legal affairs reporter for Politico.
Newsweek reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice for comment outside of regular office hours on Saturday.
Why It Matters
With Republicans holding both chambers of Congress and the White House, the courts have become one of the primary checks on the Trump administration’s policies.
The administration has already endured several significant defeats, including courts striking down punitive measures against law firms handling cases involving Trump, blocking attempts to revoke legal protections from Haitian migrants, and halting sanctions targeting employees of the International Criminal Court.
Release of Salam Maklad
On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer Thurston of the Eastern District of California ordered the release of Salam Maklad, a Syrian national from the Druze minority who entered the U.S. in 2002 without valid documents and sought asylum, according to court records obtained by Newsweek.
Maklad later married a man who was granted asylum, a factor her attorneys argued should have made her eligible for legal immigration status.
On July 9, she was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers during what she thought was a routine check-in appointment. She was then placed in “expedited removal proceedings” aimed at deporting her.
Judge Thurston emphasized that Maklad had no criminal history and was not considered a flight risk. She ruled that “the balance of the equities and public interest weigh in favor of Ms. Maklad,” ordering her release and prohibiting authorities from rearresting her without constitutional due process, including notice of changed circumstances and a timely bond hearing.
Domestic Violence Funding
That same day, Senior District Judge William Smith of Rhode Island struck down the Trump administration’s attempt to impose new conditions on funding under the Violence Against Women Act. The restrictions stemmed from Executive Order 14168, titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.”
The Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women distributes these grants. Following Trump’s order, the office updated its rules in May 2025, prohibiting funds from being used for programs that “inculcate or promote gender ideology,” as defined in the executive order.
A coalition of 17 nonprofit organizations challenged the policy, arguing it hindered their ability to provide critical services to domestic violence survivors. Judge Smith agreed, finding that the new conditions “could result in the disruption” of essential services for victims of sexual and domestic abuse.
What the Judges Said
In California, Judge Thurston permanently barred federal authorities from rearresting Maklad without due process. She further ruled that if the government seeks her detention again, it must prove “by clear and convincing evidence” that she poses either a flight risk or a danger to the community.
In Rhode Island, Judge Smith warned that denying relief would cause “real and immediate irreparable harm” by disrupting vital, sometimes life-saving services for victims. Granting relief, he said, would simply require the Justice Department to continue evaluating applications as it had in the past.
What’s Next
It remains unclear whether the Trump administration will appeal either of Friday’s rulings.
