#SistersInLaw 285: Behind The Curtains (At Mar-A-Lago)
Mar 11, 2026
They debate judges using contempt to block mass immigration arrests. They question whether an ID requirement is really a poll tax. They warn that Mar-a-Lago used as a war room could expose sensitive communications. They weigh ideas for Supreme Court structural change and explain governors' pardon powers and how the 6th Amendment and minors’ rights play out in court.
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Limits On Judges Stopping Mass Immigration Arrests
- Judges cannot typically issue blanket nationwide orders to halt immigration arrests because statutes don't authorize such broad preliminary relief.
- Kimberly Atkins Stohr cites the Supreme Court shadow-docket ruling limiting nationwide injunctions as a major legal barrier to that remedy.
Proof Of Citizenship ID Acts Like A Poll Tax
- Requiring proof-of-citizenship ID like the SAVE Act functions as a de facto poll tax because it imposes time and monetary costs to secure documents.
- Kimberly Atkins Stohr notes these burdens disproportionately affect communities of color and can suppress voting despite theoretical constitutional protections.
Weakening Of Voting Rights Enforcement Hurts Challenges
- Even strong legal theories against voter suppression face practical obstacles because the Supreme Court has weakened enforcement of the Voting Rights Act.
- Kimberly Atkins Stohr warns pending redistricting and precedent make successful challenges uncertain.
