Donald Trump entered office promising the biggest immigration crackdown in modern American history. He fought Congress, governors, mayors, advocacy groups and foreign governments. But the institution that repeatedly slowed, blocked or overturned his plans was much closer to home: the American judiciary.
Immigration became one of the most litigated areas of Trump's presidency. While the administration argued that border security required aggressive executive action, judges repeatedly examined whether those actions complied with federal statutes, constitutional protections and administrative procedures. The resulting legal battles reshaped much of Trump's immigration agenda.
