October 3

Judge dismisses $1B UNRWA lawsuit after DOJ reverses immunity position

A federal judge dismissed a $1 billion lawsuit against UNRWA, the UN Palestinian refugee agency, brought by victims of the October 7 Hamas attack, ruling that the UN agency retains sovereign immunity under the UN Charter and U.S. law. The Trump DOJ had reversed the Biden administration's position and argued UNRWA should not receive immunity, but the court rejected the government's switch as insufficient to override established immunity doctrine. The ruling highlighted how executive branch reversals cannot unilaterally change settled immunity law.

Supreme Court to Rule on Suing Cuba for Property Seized After 1959 Revolution

The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case brought by Exxon and other companies seeking to sue Cuba in U.S. courts for property expropriated after the 1959 Cuban Revolution, including the Havana docks. The case tests whether the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act's commercial-activity exception allows suits against Cuba for nationalized American assets. A ruling for plaintiffs could expose Cuba to billions in judgments and force the executive branch to navigate competing foreign policy pressures.

Supreme Court Hears Hawaii Case on Business Premises Gun Bans Under Second Amendment

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Wolford v. Lopez, a challenge to Hawaii's law allowing private businesses to ban firearms on their premises. The case arrived after the Court's 2022 Bruen decision required gun regulations to be rooted in historical tradition, and tested whether post-Bruen doctrine allows states to let private property owners exclude firearms. Hawaii argued businesses have always had authority to set rules on their property; challengers argued the state was creating gun-free zones the Second Amendment prohibits.

Trump Threatens to Cut Portland Federal Aid Over Anti-ICE Protests

President Trump threatened on October 3, 2025 to cut all federal funding to Portland, Oregon after residents staged protests against ICE enforcement operations in the city. Trump accused Portland of harboring "antifa" and demanded that local officials direct police to assist federal immigration agents. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson rejected the demands, and the city's attorney warned that the threatened funding cut would likely violate the Supreme Court's precedents on unconstitutional spending conditions.

Treasury Releases Draft Images of Proposed Trump $1 Commemorative Coin

The U.S. Treasury Department released draft design images on October 3, 2025 for a proposed $1 commemorative coin featuring President Trump's likeness, scheduled for a potential July 4, 2026 release. The proposal was the first in American history to feature a sitting president on U.S. currency during their own term. Critics noted a federal statute prohibits placing living persons on U.S. currency and raised concerns about the use of Treasury resources for political promotion.

Trump Pauses $2.1 Billion for Chicago Transit Projects

The Trump administration paused $2.1 billion in previously approved federal funds for Chicago transit projects on October 3, 2025, including the Red and Purple Line Modernization and several bus rapid transit corridors. The freeze was announced without a specific compliance rationale and came one day after Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson publicly criticized Trump administration immigration enforcement operations. The Chicago Transit Authority announced it would delay construction contracts pending legal review.