Vice President Mike Pence announced Wednesday that the Trump administration will seek to end the authority of district judges to order nationwide injunctions.
“So I say to all those gathered here: For the sake of our liberty, our security, our prosperity and the separation of powers, this era of judicial activism must come to an end,” Pence said in a speech to the Federalist Society. “The Supreme Court of the United States must clarify that district judges can decide no more than the cases before them.”
“It’s remarkable to think a Supreme Court justice has to convince four of their colleagues to uphold an injunction, but a single district court judge can issue one, effectively preventing the duly elected president of the United States from fulfilling what he believes is a constitutional duty,” Pence added.
Pence said the administration would “seek opportunities” to argue the case to end national injunctions before the Supreme Court.
The Trump administration has fought multiple nationwide injunctions against his policies including the travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries and the transgender military service ban.
Last fall, the Department of Justice issued a memo stating that nationwide injunctions “are inconsistent with constitutional limitations on judicial power.”
