Appeals court revives Trump’s effort to remove hush money case to federal court
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(NEW YORK) — A federal appeals court on Thursday ordered a lower court to take another look at whether President Donald Trump’s criminal hush money prosecution in Manhattan deserved to be heard in federal court.
After Trump was convicted last year on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, he sought to move the case into federal court from state court due to the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling last year granting the president immunity for official acts.
U.S. District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein denied the request, concluding that Trump failed to show good cause for move after the jury had rendered its verdict.
On Thursday, a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Hellerstein to reconsider.
“We cannot be confident that in doing so, the District Court adequately considered issues relevant to the good cause inquiry so as to enable meaningful appellate review,” the opinion said. For example, the District Court did not consider whether certain evidence admitted during the state court trial relates to immunized official acts or, if so, whether evidentiary immunity transformed the State’s case into one that relates to acts under color of the Presidency.”
Trump was found guilty last year of orchestrating an illegal scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election by directing his personal lawyer at the time, Michael Cohen, to pay $130,000 to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to prevent her from publicly discussing a long-denied sexual encounter with Trump, and then falsifying New York business records to cover up that alleged criminal conduct.
New York Judge Juan Merchan, on the eve of Trump’s inauguration in January, sentenced him to an unconditional discharge — the lightest possible punishment allowed under New York state law — saying it was the “only lawful sentence” to prevent “encroaching upon the highest office in the land.”
Trump is separately appealing his conviction in a New York appellate court, arguing that it was based on evidence the Supreme Court later decided should have been off limits.
(DES MOINES, Iowa) — The arrest of the superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers has become a high-profile case, involving a long-time school administrator who authorities say is not authorized to work in the U.S. and whose background has come under scrutiny.
Ian Roberts, 54, was the superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools for over two years before his resignation on Sept. 30 days after his arrest. He had previously held leadership positions in school districts across the U.S. for two decades.
In the days since he was taken into custody, Roberts has also been federally charged for alleged firearms offenses, and lawsuits and state investigations are being pursued over his hiring.
Here’s a look at how the saga has unfolded, including some of Roberts’ past employment, criminal history and immigration proceedings.
June 1, 1994
Roberts enters the U.S. in New York City on a B-2 non-immigrant visa, according to a press release from the Department of Homeland Security detailing his immigration and criminal history.
July 3, 1996
Roberts is charged in New York with narcotics possession and intent to sell narcotics, among other counts, according to DHS, which did not note what came of the case.
1998
The criminology major graduates from Coppin State University in Baltimore, according to the school.
Nov. 13, 1998
Roberts is charged with third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle in New York City, which was dismissed the following year, according to DHS.
March 1999
Roberts enters the U.S. in San Francisco on an F-1 student visa, which is set to expire on March 7, 2004, according to DHS.
Feb. 9, 2000
Roberts files an application with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for employment authorization, which is approved in April and set to expire on April 1, 2001, according to DHS.
June 2000
Roberts earns a master’s degree in social studies from St. John’s University, according to The Associated Press.
September 2000
Roberts competes in the 800 meters in the Sydney Olympics, representing Guyana, according to the Olympics website and the website for World Athletics, the international governing body for track and field. He does not advance out of a preliminary heat.
May 21, 2001
Roberts files a green card application with USCIS, which is rejected in January 2003, according to DHS, which did not state the reason why.
2002-2007
Roberts pursues a doctorate at Morgan State University in Baltimore, the AP reported. He did not ultimately earn a degree from the school, though while applying for the Des Moines superintendent position, he submitted a resume that indicated he had, according to Des Moines Public Schools. The discrepancy was flagged during a background check and his resume was updated to note that he did not complete the dissertation required to earn the degree, according to the school district.
Nov. 1, 2012
Roberts is convicted of reckless driving, unsafe operation and speeding in Maryland, according to DHS. At the time, he had positions with New Leaders for New Schools in Baltimore and the District of Columbia Public Schools, according to his LinkedIn profile.
2018
Roberts files green card applications again with USCIS in May and June, which are both denied later that year, according to DHS, which did not state why.
In July, he applies for an adjustment of status based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen, but it is later denied in January 2020 because he “failed to respond to a request for additional information,” according to a federal criminal complaint.
At the time of these applications, he’s a middle/high school superintendent for St. Louis Public Schools and then a chief schools officer at Aspire Public Schools in California, according to his LinkedIn profile.
July 15, 2018
Roberts files for employment authorization documents, which USCIS grants later that year, according to DHS.
Nov. 18, 2019
Before the authorization is set to expire, Roberts files again for employment authorization documents, which USCIS grants several weeks later, according to DHS.
Feb. 3, 2020
Roberts faces multiple weapons charges, including criminal possession of a weapon, according to DHS, which did not note the location of the filing or what came of the case. He is between jobs at this time, according to his LinkedIn profile.
August 2020
Roberts begins serving as superintendent of the Millcreek Township School District in Erie, Pennsylvania, a position he holds for nearly three years.
Dec. 18, 2020
Roberts’ lawful employment authorization expires, according to DHS.
Jan. 20, 2022
Roberts is convicted in Pennsylvania of unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, according to DHS. Roberts pleaded guilty to the charge, saying in a statement that he did so to “avoid the unnecessary time away from my responsibilities” as superintendent. He says he was returning to his car after hunting and placed his loaded rifle in the vehicle after being stopped by a state game warden.
July 2023
Roberts begins serving as the superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools.
August 2023
Roberts is served with a restraining order, according to the sheriff’s department in Polk County, Iowa, which served notice of the order to Roberts at his office.
The records are sealed, so the reason for the restraining order — which was issued by a court in Jackson County, Missouri — and the identity of the person requesting it are not public.
May 22, 2024
An immigration judge in Dallas orders that Roberts be removed from the U.S. during a hearing he did not attend, according to DHS.
April 24, 2025
An immigration judge in Dallas denies Roberts his motion to reopen immigration proceedings, finding that Roberts failed to demonstrate, as claimed in the motion, that he did not receive notice of the 2024 hearing, according to court filings.
Sept. 26, 2025
ICE agents arrest Roberts in Des Moines during a “targeted enforcement operation.” He allegedly sped away after officers approached his vehicle, and was later found after abandoning his vehicle near a wooded area, according to ICE.
A loaded handgun is found in his district-issued vehicle “wrapped in a towel under the driver’s seat,” according to the federal criminal complaint. It was purchased in Arkansas in 2019 from a federally licensed dealer by someone who is believed to be Roberts’ spouse, according to the complaint.
During a search of his home, law enforcement find three more firearms, according to the complaint.
Sept. 29, 2025
The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revokes Roberts’ administrator license. The Des Moines School Board then votes unanimously to put him on unpaid administrative leave and to provide proof that he is authorized to work in the U.S. or face termination.
Roberts’ attorney files a motion in immigration court in Omaha, Nebraska, to stay the educator’s order of removal, according to the attorney, Alfredo Parrish.
Sept. 30, 2025
Roberts submits his resignation as superintendent, which the Des Moines School Board accepts. He did not provide the board with the requested information, according to the school board.
Parrish says his office will be filing a motion to reopen Roberts’ immigration case.
“This is a very complex case,” Parrish says during a press briefing. “It’s complex, it’s difficult and there are … what I would call a myriad of issues that are involved.”
A “state-level investigation” into Roberts’ hiring is underway, according to Iowa Rep. Zach Nunn, who says in a statement, “Local leaders owe parents an explanation, and we need stronger safeguards to ensure that positions of public trust are filled by individuals who are properly vetted and legally authorized to serve.”
Elsewhere, state elections officials in Maryland address the finding that a man whose name, birthdate and address matches Roberts registered as a Democrat in 2017, according to the Maryland voter registration database. There’s no record of him casting a ballot, officials said.
The elections board of Maryland did not confirm that the registered voter is in fact Roberts. It noted in a statement that individuals are prohibited from securing voter registration unlawfully but outlined a scenario in which an ineligible voter could be “unintentionally registered to vote” via an automatic voter registration agency, such as the state’s Motor Vehicle Agency.
Although it’s unclear if Roberts was registered to vote, Republican members of the Maryland House of Delegates have since pressed the elections board on how someone ineligible to vote could be “unintentionally” registered.
Oct. 2, 2025
Roberts is arrested and charged by federal prosecutors in Iowa with one count of being an “illegal alien in possession of firearms,” according to court records, after authorities say firearms were found in his vehicle and home.
The Millcreek Township School District announces it has asked its attorneys to determine whether the district has any possible legal claims against Roberts and the search firm hired to conduct background checks on him, alleging he misrepresented his credentials and falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen prior to his hiring in 2020.
“The egregious breach of trust that was perpetrated by Roberts, who we hired to lead our schools, is unconscionable,” the district’s school board said in a statement.
Oct. 3, 2025
The Des Moines School Board files a lawsuit against the consulting firm it says it hired in 2023 to conduct a search for a new superintendent, claiming the firm failed to “properly vet candidates” and that it never would have hired Roberts “if we knew what we know now.”
The Texas-based executive search firm, JG Consulting, maintains that Roberts “provided the documents necessary to show that he was eligible for the position in Des Moines.”
“That the district has now decided to litigate about their choice of candidate at this time, when they have had all relevant information since the beginning, is unfortunate and unwarranted,” the firm’s attorney, Josh Romero, says in a statement. “We will answer any claims brought by the district in court.”
(NEW YORK) — A fire at plant in Louisiana continues to burn and an evacuation order within a 1-mile radius of the facility remains in place following an explosion Friday, officials said at a press conference.
As of Saturday, 42 people are at a shelter, according to officials. About 800 residents were affected by the explosion, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Gerald Sticker said in an update.
The fire was 90% contained by Saturday evening, response officials said in a press release posted by the Louisiana State Police.
“Response crews have worked diligently throughout the day and will continue operations through the night to strengthen containment and support recovery efforts,” the release said.
In a Sunday update, the Louisiana State Police said the fire was still 90% contained and that the mandatory 1-mile radius evacuation remained in effect.
“Overnight, additional resources, including specialized heavy equipment, arrived. Response crews began removing structural debris and addressing covered hotspots. A containment berm is being established around the site, and recovery operations will continue throughout the day,” the Sunday statement said.
The statement added that “environmental response efforts” were underway to address the fire’s potential effect on the nearby Tangipahoa River and adjacent waterways. It also said that “all air monitoring results have shown either non-detectable readings or levels well below health-based or actionable thresholds,” and that “continuous air monitoring remains in place.”
“To date, no injuries have been reported. Nearly 150 personnel are engaged in field operations, representing all levels of government and contracted support,” Sunday’s Louisiana State Police update further said.
Though most chose to follow the evacuation, some of the residents within the one-mile evacuation zone chose to stay, Sticker said Friday. Deputies were maintaining a perimeter as firefighters continued to fight the fire.
Residents have been asked to to avoid direct contact with soot as a result of the fire as it is believed to contains both combustibles and hydrocarbon chemicals, Louisiana State Police Sgt. William Huggins said Saturday.
Authorities asked residents to remain indoors when possible, wash hands frequently, avoid touching their face and avoid direct contact with the soot.
Officials said they are are aware of debris in the Tangipahoa River and said water samples will be collected for environmental impact analysis. What is exactly in the soot is also under investigation.
The most recent air quality readings indicated results “below an actionable threshold” at this time, Huggins said Saturday.
Overnight a number of small explosions occurred, consistent with what has been happening since the beginning of the fire, Huggins said.
The incident occurred at Smitty’s Supply, a lubricant manufacturer located in Roseland in Tangipahoa Parish, local officials said. A large plume of smoke could be seen following the explosion.
The explosion was reported shortly before 1 p.m. local time Friday, according to Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller.
The Tangipahoa Parish government ordered a mandatory evacuation for those in the immediate area, which then expanded to within a 1-mile radius of the plant.
The sheriff’s office said any residents that need to return home for medication or pets should coordinate with their department to receive an escort.
“Relocate IMMEDIATELY and stay away from this area until further notice,” the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office said on X.
An elementary school located within the evacuation zone evacuated students to a location in Amite City.
No injuries have been reported, “which is a godsend,” Miller said at a press briefing late Friday afternoon.
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has been monitoring the environment, Miller said. It’s unclear what caused the explosion, he said.
Smitty’s Supply manufacturers and distributes lubricant, including motor oils, according to its website. About 400 people work at the plant, according to Miller.
Highway 51 at Highway 10 in Roseland closed following the explosion.
“We are monitoring this situation closely. Please follow the guidance of your local officials,” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in a statement on X. “We are praying for everyone’s safety.”
Pro-Palestinian protesters march out of Tufts University’s Class of 2024 commencement. Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge has found federal officials unconstitutionally violated the free speech rights of pro-Palestinian protesters in its effort to deport international students and scholars expressing pro-Palestinian views, including Columbia University’s Mahmoud Khalil and Tuft’s University’s Rumeysa Ozturk.
“This Court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, together with the subordinate officials and, agents of each of them, deliberately and with purposeful aforethought, did so concert their actions and those of their two departments intentionally to chill the rights to freedom of speech and peacefully to assemble of the non-citizen plaintiff members of the plaintiff associations,” U.S. District Court Judge William Young wrote in a decision Tuesday.
The decision came as part of a lawsuit filed by the American Association of University Professors and the Middle East Studies Association, which represents hundreds of professors and students across the country.
A bench trial was held in the case in July. In the course of the trial, it was revealed the government looked into more than 5,000 people named on the doxxing website Canary mission in its effort to revoke the visas of student protesters.
Young, a Ronald Reagan appointee, said Rubio and Noem used the attempted deportation of some pro-Palestinian protesters to create a chilling effect that would discourage others from participating in protests.
“It was never the Secretaries’ immediate intention to deport all pro-Palestinian non-citizens for that obvious First Amendment violation, that could have raised a major outcry,” Young wrote in the order. “Rather, the intent of the Secretaries was more invidious — to target a few for speaking out and then use the full rigor of the Immigration and Nationality Act (in ways it had never been used before) to have them publicly deported with the goal of tamping down pro-Palestinian student protests and terrorizing similarly situated non-citizen (and other) pro-Palestinians into silence because their views were unwelcome.”
Young said President Donald Trump’s support of this effort violates his oath to “preserve, protect and defend the constitution,” though he is immune from any consequences for this conduct per the U.S. Supreme Court.
“The Secretaries have succeeded, apparently well beyond their immediate intentions. One may speculate that they acted under instructions from the White House, but speculation is not evidence and this Court does not so find,” Young wrote.
“What is clear, however, is that the President may not have authorized this operation (or even known about it), but once it was in play the President wholeheartedly supported it, making many individual case specific comments (some quite cruel) that demonstrate he has been fully briefed,” Young said.
While Young wrote that he found clear and convincing evidence of constitutional violations, he does not expect a correction from authorities or public outcry.
“The President in recent months has strikingly unapologetically increased his attack on First Amendment values, balked here and there by District Court orders,” Young said.
