Bill aimed to restrict 'activist judges' awaits Senate vote; Critics call HR 1526 a threat to constitution

LOS ANGELES - A bill that would limit courts' ability to block President Donald Trump's executive orders is awaiting votes from the Senate.

This comes as H.R. 1526, or the No Rogue Rulings Act (NORRA), was passed by the House of Representatives last week. 

What we know:

According to Congress' records page, H.R. 1526 aims to amend Title 28 of the United States Code and then limit "district courts to provide injunctive relief, and for other purposes."

"Specifically, it prohibits a district court from issuing an injunction unless the injunction applies only to the parties of the particular case before the court," the bill's summary reads on Congress.gov. 

The bill was introduced by Rep. Darrell Issa, who represents California's 48th Congressional District which covers parts of Riverside County, back in late February 2025. On April 9, the bill passed on the House floor with 219 YES votes, with 213 others voting NO.

‘Activist Judges’

What they're saying:

Following the news of H.R. 1526 passing on the House floor, Issa issued the following statement on his District 48 webpage, accusing "activist judges" of abusing their powers:

"Practically every day, activist federal judges are abusing their Article III power, contradicting the Constitution, and blocking President Donald Trump from exercising his executive authority to deport criminal illegals, reduce wasteful government spending and strengthen our military," Issa said in a statement released on April 10.

Rep. Austin Pfluger, who represents Texas' 11th Congressional District and a supporter of the bill, co-wrote an op-ed for FOX News, saying that the bill would be the answer to stopping the "courtroom coup."

‘Trump Takeover’

The other side:

Critics of the bill say passage of H.R. 1526 would be a threat to the U.S. Constitution as well as the government's checks and balances.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) argues the bill would limit courts from stopping unconstitutional actions. Mike Zamore, the ACLU's national director of policy and government affairs, is calling for the Senate to reject the bill.

"If we want presidents to obey the law, courts need to be able to stop them when they’re overstepping," Zamore said in a statement published on the ACLU's website.

Another organization, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, also blasted the bill, saying it would enable a "Trump Takeover."

"Congressional efforts that seek to undermine the independence and fairness of the judiciary are blatant attempts to appease a president who thinks he’s king, and they seek to usher in autocracy in ways that should alarm everyone. The president and his enablers know what they’re doing is unlawful, so they’re trying to change the rules and the law," Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights senior director of the fair courts Lena Zwarensteyn said in a statement published on the organization's website.

Zwarensteyn adds the bill is also a threat to democracy.

"We need a powerful response in defense of our democracy, not lawmakers quickly changing the rules to benefit a lawless president who prizes loyalty and power over the rights of all of us. We urge the Senate to reject similar measures. Instead, lawmakers should focus on advancing proposals that will improve the judiciary for all people so that one day our courts will truly deliver equal justice for all," she said in a statement.

What's next:

As mentioned earlier in this report, the bill awaits passage by the Senate. Should the bill pass on the Senate floor, it goes to President Trump's desk, where it could be signed into law.