Tag:Executive Orders
President Donald Trump’s Call to Reclassify Medical Marijuana, What’s Changed?
Last December, President Donald Trump issued an executive order calling for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to expedite the reclassification of marijuana to a Schedule III drug. Currently, marijuana is listed as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (CSA), making it federally illegal to sell, distribute, or possess. This classificationsignificantly limits the ability to undertake scientific and medical research on marijuana and the extent to which medical professionals and individuals can make informed decisions concerning its use. Regardless of this prohibition, 40 states and the District of Columbia have state or locally sanctioned medical marijuana, and a majority of the American public (64%) believes that marijuana should be legalized. The impediment of necessary research, the public support for legalizing the substance, and the potential economic and medical benefits have led President Trump’s call to reclassify it. Reclassification will likely support the marijuana industry while simultaneously benefiting American health care.
The Real Problem with Affordable Housing in America is Not Large Institutional Investors
“To preserve the supply of single-family homes for American families and increase the paths to homeownership,” President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20th, 2026, preventing “large institutional investors” from buying “single-family home[’s].” The definitions of “large institutional investor” and “single-family home” are to be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, by February 19th. However, even with an expansive definition of what constitutes a “large institutional investor,” this executive order seems likely to fall short of its intended goal. Large institutional investors account for too small of a share of single-family homeowners in the United States for this executive order to have any significant impact on housing affordability. Instead, to support housing affordability President Trump’s administration should focus on loosening credit standards, incentivizing home builders, and adopting economic policies to curb inflation, which in turn will lead to mortgage rate reductions.
Mass Deportation and the Fall of Immigration Detention Regulations
As the Trump administration ushers in a new era of mass deportation and hysteria, “sanctuary” communities like Chicago are more important now than ever. The term “sanctuary” generally refers to states, counties or cities that have policies that limit the extent to which a local officials will cooperate with federal agencies’ efforts to deport undocumented persons. Recently, regulations concerning detention and deportations of undocumented immigrants have rapidly devolved, along with what protections they offered to these communities. Previous regulations were similarly deferential to federal enforcement agencies, particularly U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). However, the current administration is actively working to broaden federal authorities’ power to deport immigrants who are not lawfully in the U.S. and have been accused, rather than convicted, of crimes. One way the administration seeks to do so is by loosening its regulation of the methods ICE may use to conduct arrests as well as the role state and local law enforcement may play in such operations. Biden administration’s discontinuing the practice of mass immigration sweeps at worksites such as factories is just one of the limitations that has been discarded. This leaves already fragile protections for undocumented persons to the wayside, resulting in unnecessary harm and suffering to thousands of undocumented persons and citizens.
Regulating the Unregulated: Where is Cryptocurrency Headed?
While over 10 years have passed since Satoshi Nakamoto first introduced Bitcoin, digital currencies continue to remain unregulated by financial authorities despite a number of challenges that have plagued consumers and the government: the Silk Road, fraud, and various other financial crimes. Additionally, many consumers invest in cryptocurrencies because they are not controlled by any central government monetary policies. However, cryptocurrency investors are also at risk of their money losing its value when the market takes a tumble, as evidenced by the recent current cryptocurrency downturn. Despite these continued challenges, imposing regulations on cryptocurrencies has proven to be difficult. Until President Biden’s Executive Order, issued on March 9th of this year, the White House steered clear of recognizing digital assets as a valid form of currency. The President’s Order explicitly recognized the need for research and policy implementation across various government agencies in order to shape the way cryptocurrencies are regulated.
Can Nursing Homes be Sued for COVID-19 Deaths?
Nursing homes have been devastatingly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of February 26, 2021, as many as 34% (172,000+) of all COVID-19 deaths in the United States have been nursing home residents and employees. While COVID-19’s lethality in older adults and likelihood of transmission in congregate facilities are to blame, plaintiffs’ attorneys specifically question sweeping legislation among various states regarding nursing home restrictions on refusing COVID-19 positive residents and immunity protections. A look at the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (“PREP”) Act and recent federal cases sheds light on the future of plaintiff suits related to COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes.