Legal battles brew over Trump executive orders

President Donald Trump started his new term with a flurry of executive orders, some of which are now facing lawsuits. And as crews remove more wreckage from the Potomac River after the deadly plane and helicopter crash last week, investigators are getting some answers. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.

Legal battles brew over Trump executive orders

It’s been just over two weeks since President Donald Trump took office, and he has already signed more than 50 executive orders to reshape the federal government. Now, many of them are facing legal pushback.

On Thursday, Feb. 6, a federal judge temporarily blocked Trump’s offer to buy out federal workers. The workers were told to return to the office while court proceedings over its legalization played out. 

Initially, federal employees had until 11:59 p.m. Thursday to decide whether to take the buyout offer. That deadline has now been extended to Monday, Feb. 10, and it might be pushed back even further. 

The buyout would allow federal workers to leave their jobs while still receiving benefits through the end of September. Federal unions have strongly urged members not to accept the package, questioning its legality and the Trump administration’s ability to follow through on its promises. 

The White House said at least 40,000 federal employees have already opted into the deferred resignation program. 

The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union of U.S. government workers, has filed a lawsuit seeking a federal court to stop the shutdown of USAID. The union argues that the president cannot shut down an agency enshrined in congressional legislation. This comes after the Trump administration presented a plan Thursday to cut USAID staffing worldwide to dismantle the agency dramatically. 

The plan would employ fewer than 300 USAID workers out of thousands. The administration believes that USAID is fraught with unnecessary spending on projects and causes that Americans are unaware of.  

Meanwhile, another lawsuit is brewing over the Treasury Department’s decision to allow Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffers access to the federal government’s massive payment and collections system. A group of retirees and union members said the move violates federal privacy laws because it gives DOGE access to the data stored in the system. 

Those challenging the Trump administration’s decision want an order barring DOGE from accessing the data and requiring the return of any harvested data. 

Another executive order facing pushback is Trump’s decision to end birthright citizenship in the U.S. Birthright citizenship occurs when a child is born in the United States and automatically becomes an American citizen regardless of the child’s or parents’ nationality or because at least one of their parents was a U.S. citizen at the time of the person’s birth. 

Several lawsuits are now on the books, challenging the order. This week, federal judges in Maryland and Washington state issued nationwide preliminary injunctions blocking the order from taking effect. The Department of Justice has appealed the Washington decision. 

A pair of federal judges have also temporarily blocked a federal aid funding freeze, which the Trump administration directed in response to his executive orders. 

Additionally, two judges blocked the transfer of three transgender women prisoners to a male prison after a Trump executive order affecting transgender inmates. It said the federal Bureau of Prisons is now required to ensure that “males are not detained in women’s prisons.”

Trump sanctions International Criminal Court over Israel investigation

Trump signed another executive order Thursday. The new order imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel, a close U.S. ally. 

The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was at the White House this week, for alleged war crimes over his military response in Gaza after the Hamas terror attack on Israel in October 2023. 

The attack left more than 1,200 Israelis dead and around 250 taken hostage in Gaza. Israel then unleashed a ground and air response, which the Hamas-run health ministry said has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, including children. 

Neither the U.S. nor Israel are members of or recognize the ICC. 

Trump’s order said the U.S. would impose “tangible and significant consequences” on those responsible for the ICC’s “transgressions.” These could include blocking property and assets and not allowing ICC officials, employees and their families to enter the U.S.

FBI turns over list of Jan. 6 investigators to Justice Department

Acting Director Brian Driscoll emailed employees Thursday to inform them that the FBI has given the Justice Department the names of employees who worked on cases related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. This follows a back-and-forth between bureau leaders who sought to protect identities and the DOJ. The FBI complied by providing the names through a classified system to protect employees from being publicly identified. 

Earlier this week, the bureau withheld the names of thousands of workers and identified them based only on their employee ID numbers, job titles and roles in the Jan. 6 investigations. 

Several FBI employees and the agency’s union sued the Justice Department, asking a judge to ensure their names were not released outside the DOJ. They said they fear for their safety if their identities are made public.

Search underway in Alaska for missing plane carrying 10 people

The search continues in Alaska for a Cessna aircraft carrying 10 people that went missing Thursday afternoon. 

Alaska state troopers said the plane, operated by Bering Air, was headed from Unalakleet to Nome. The Norton Sound Inlet separates both cities in western Alaska. Crews are conducting ground and air searches as weather and visibility permit to find the missing aircraft.

The plane’s disappearance comes as investigations continue into two recent deadly U.S. aviation incidents. A medical transportation plane crashed in Philadelphia last Friday, Jan. 31, killing the six people on board and another person on the ground, and last Wednesday, Jan. 29, a passenger plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair, killing 67 people.

Black Hawk wreckage from deadly midair collision removed from Potomac River

Workers pulled the wreckage of the Black Hawk involved in last week’s deadly midair collision with a passenger jet from the Potomac River on Thursday. Crews also removed additional parts of the American Airlines plane, most of which was pulled from the river earlier this week. 

The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the cause of the crash, said it is still looking for the helicopter’s right engine and tail rotor.

NTSB, in coordination with SUPSALV, recovered the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk today. Additional information in today's investigative update for the Jan. 29 mid-air collision near DCA: https://t.co/C01PwrsmIF pic.twitter.com/gfsgRh7lgN

— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) February 7, 2025

After a closed-door briefing by the NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told reporters that the helicopter was flying with its safety system turned off. Cruz chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees the airline industry. 

He said senators were told the helicopter’s automatic dependent surveillance broadcast system was turned off. The system provides detailed information to track airplane locations.  

Military aircraft are allowed to fly with that system off. However, since the crash involved a training flight, Cruz said, “Unless there was a compelling national security reason for turning it off, that does not seem justified.” 

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told reporters investigators had not confirmed whether the helicopter was equipped with that technology.

Americans gear up for Super Bowl weekend

It is Super Bowl weekend. Come Sunday, Feb. 9, millions of Americans will gather with friends, family members and neighbors to watch the biggest NFL game of the year — along with all the commercials and the Kendrick Lamar halftime show.  

As for Super Bowl LIX itself, AFC champions the Kansas City Chiefs and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be going for their third straight Super Bowl championship. They’ll face off against the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley and NFC champions, the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Kickoff is around 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday in New Orleans. 

For those making it an all-day event, the annual Puppy Bowl is back.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Animal Planet (@animalplanet)

The three-hour made-for-TV event is a miniature football game dogs play on a 20 by 30-foot field. The pups, all between three and six months old, score touchdowns when they cross the goal-line with a toy in their mouth. 

The goal of the show is to encourage pet adoption. This year’s Puppy Bowl pits Team Ruff against Team Fluff and will feature 142 rescue puppies from 80 shelters across 40 states.