Supreme Court Term 2025-2026

LeAnne Withrow of Springfield, Illinois is a lead military and family readiness specialist and civilian employee for the Illinois National Guard. Previously, she served as a staff sergeant for the National Guard and is the recipient of multiple commendations and awards, including the Illinois National Guard Abraham Lincoln Medal of Freedom.   Following a January 20, 2025 executive order signed by President Trump, officials with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the federal National Guard Bureau issued notices to all employees requiring use of designated restrooms strictly based upon their “biological sex,” as inaccurately defined in the executive order. Soon after, Withrow was told by supervisors within her chain of command that she could not use restrooms designated for women.   On May 5, Ms. Withrow filed a class action complaint to the Army National Guard Bureau Equal Opportunity Office (NGB-EO), and later to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), challenging the federal order, but both the NGB-EO and EEOC failed to resolve the matter.   In November 2025, Withrow filed a class action lawsuit alleging that the executive order and implementation actions violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sex discrimination in employment, and that the order and implementation violate the federal Administrative Procedure Act. The complaint was filed on behalf of Ms. Withrow by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of D.C., the ACLU of Illinois, and Democracy Forward.   “No one should have to choose between their career in service and their own dignity,” said Withrow. “I bring respect and honor to the work I do to support military families, and I hope the court will restore dignity to transgender people like me who serve this country every day.”

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL), and the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit to demand transparency from the Trump administration regarding its treatment of pregnant unaccompanied immigrant youth in federal immigration custody. The lawsuit seeks to enforce the ACLU and NCYL’s February 2025 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for records and correspondence from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which oversees the care and custody of unaccompanied immigrant youth until they are placed with a sponsor, usually a family member in the United States. The release of this information is important to monitor whether the Trump administration is ensuring that these marginalized young people have access to the full range of pregnancy-related care while in government custody, as is required by law.

Emergency lawsuit filed in federal court to halt removals under the Alien Enemies Act.

This lawsuit seeks to use several tools, including a state civil rights act, to hold federal immigration agents accountable for violating the rights of a Portland resident who held a lawful visa. In January 2026, federal immigration officers descended on Maine as part of what the federal government has called “Operation Catch the Day.” The federal government claimed the operation targeted “the worst of the worst criminal aliens,” yet in fact it targeted many people who had committed no crimes. Among them was our client, Juan Sebastián Carvajal-Muñoz, a Portland-based civil engineer with a valid visa, who was seized by federal agents.   With the help of the ACLU and other law firms, Mr. Carvajal-Muñoz filed suit to hold the federal agents accountable. This case has significant implications: it could confirm that state laws can authorize individuals to hold federal officials accountable for violating rights protected by the U.S. Constitution.