Congress may explore defunding courts to counteract judges

Congress is exploring options to limit the power of federal judges who have blocked many of President Trump's initiatives. This follows numerous nationwide court orders against his actions, especially on immigration. Some Republicans, like Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, are considering various strategies. He mentioned options like impeachment and jurisdiction-stripping to address what they see as judicial overreach. However, he noted that any approach must be carefully evaluated. A key budget process could allow Congress to defund certain courts more easily. This process, called reconciliation, lowers the Senate's voting threshold from 60 to 51 votes. However, legal experts warn that defunding courts may not be feasible. They argue it likely wouldn’t meet the budgetary requirements for reconciliation. Some Republicans, including former U.S. Attorney Andy McCarthy, believe defunding could lead to problems. They argue it would harm an already strained judicial system and would not stop challenges to Trump's executive orders. Others suggest that the better solution would be to streamline the judicial process or create clear legislation that gives the executive branch more freedom to act without judicial interference. So far, there has been no official plan from Trump or Republican leaders to pursue defunding through the reconciliation process, but the House is preparing to address the issue in upcoming legislation.