Week in Review

IN THE NEWS 

• President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order mandating that all ballots in federal elections be cast and received by Election Day and requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration. The order instructs the Election Assistance Commission to withhold funding from states that fail to comply with the order and directs the Department of Justice to prioritize enforcement of election laws. The order also calls for audits of voter registration lists by comparing them to immigration databases. President Trump claimed that this order will help elections be “honest and worthy of the public trust,” while critics argued that it may infringe upon states’ rights and potentially disenfranchise eligible voters. 
• The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Biden Administration rule requiring ghost gun kits—firearm parts without serial numbers that can be assembled into working guns—to include serial numbers and be subject to background checks. The majority opinion, written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, held that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) acted within its authority to regulate these kits, particularly because they can be easily converted into a working weapon. Although gun safety advocates praised the ruling as a step toward greater public safety, dissenting justices, including Justice Clarence Thomas, argued that ATF overstepped its regulatory authority by extending firearm laws to unfinished parts.
• President Trump issued a proclamation imposing a 25 percent tariff on imports of automobiles and certain automobile parts, including engines, transmissions, and electrical components, into the United States. The proclamation, which invokes the President’s authority under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, is intended to “protect America’s automobile industry” from “excessive imports” that “threaten to impair national security.” The proclamation notes that only about half of the vehicles sold in the United States today are manufactured domestically and asserts that the tariff will “protect and strengthen the U.S. automotive sector.”
• The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in FCC v. Consumers’ Research, a case challenging the constitutionality of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) “Universal Service Fund,” which collects billions of dollars annually from telecommunications companies to subsidize phone and internet services in underserved areas. The plaintiff—a conservative advocacy group called Consumers’ Research—argued that Congress unconstitutionally delegated its taxing authority to the FCC and that the FCC overstepped by involving a private entity in administering the fund. During the proceedings, justices across the ideological spectrum expressed concerns about the potential negative impacts of dismantling the Universal Service Fund, suggesting a reluctance to rule against the program. A decision in the case could have significant implications for the future authority of federal agencies. 
• President Trump signed an executive order aimed at “modernizing payments” to and from “America’s bank account,” or the U.S. General Fund, by replacing paper-based payments with electronic transfers. The order explains that the federal government’s use of paper-based payments, such as checks and money orders, imposes unnecessary costs, delays, and risks of fraud and lost payments, citing an increase in mail theft complaints since the COVID-19 pandemic. The order directs executive departments and agencies to transition to electronic funds transfer methods, such as direct deposit and debit or credit card payments, and instructs the U.S. Department of the Treasury to “expedite requirements” for electronic payment of fines and taxes to the federal government.
• President Trump signed an executive order imposing a 25 percent tariff on all goods imported into the United States from countries that purchase Venezuelan oil, either directly or indirectly, effective April 2, 2025. The Administration stated that this tariff aims to pressure nations into ceasing support for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government, which relies heavily on oil exports. China—a significant importer of Venezuelan oil—expressed opposition to the order, urging the United States to revoke the “illegal” sanctions and to stop interfering in Venezuela’s internal affairs. 
• The FCC issued a final rule modifying existing call blocking rules to better target illegal robocalls. The rule requires all domestic voice service providers to block callers based on a reasonable do-not-originate (DNO) list of “invalid, unallocated, and unused” phone numbers. The rule does not impose any particular DNO list but allows providers to maintain their own lists, so long as those lists are reasonable and constantly updated. The FCC acknowledged that many providers already block robocalls based on DNO lists but asserted that the new rule will “ensure that more consumers are protected from illegal calls.”
• The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied the government’s request to stay a district court’s temporary restraining order preventing the Trump Administration from deporting immigrants under the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely invoked 1798 wartime statute. The Administration argued that this law grants the President authority to remove individuals from countries deemed threats to national security. The district court, however, maintained that using the Act during peacetime to bypass standard immigration procedures raises significant legal concerns. In the midst of this legal battle, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited El Salvador’s “CECOT” mega-prison, where 238 Venezuelans deported under the Administration’s directive are detained. During the visit, Noem reiterated the Administration’s commitment to stringent immigration enforcement, despite the judicial order.

 WHAT WE’RE READING THIS WEEK

• In a National Bureau of Economic Research working paper, Cody Cook and several coauthors analyzed the short-term impact of New York City’s congestion pricing policy. The Cook team explained that in January 2025, New York City implemented the first cordon-based congestion pricing policy in the United States, charging vehicles entering the central business district of Manhattan during peak hours in an effort to reduce traffic and emissions, and fund public transit improvements. They estimated that average traffic speeds in the area increased by 15 percent compared to a synthetic control group of other U.S. cities, with the greatest effects occurring during peak afternoon hours. Roads outside of the district also experienced positive spillover effects—especially entry points such as the Lincoln Tunnel and Queensboro Bridge—where speeds rose by up to 16 percent. Overall, the team found that the policy also improved average speeds for trips to the district by 8 percent and reduced carbon emission rates by around 3 percent. 
• In a recent Brookings Institution article, Vanessa Williamson, a senior fellow at Brookings and the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, argued that the Internal Revenue Service’s successful rollout of Direct File—an online service launched in 2024 that provides free, public digital tax filing to some taxpayers—demonstrates that the federal government is “capable of delivering efficient, user-friendly services.” Williamson contended that Direct File addressed the longstanding problem of Americans spending significant time and money on filing tax returns, including through seemingly free commercial tax prep services that are “rife with exploitative practices,” such as deceptive marketing and surprise fees. Williamson noted that Direct File is currently “in the crosshairs” of Republican House members and industry lobbyists and suggested that “mass adoption” of Direct File, or maximizing usage of the program by the 30 million Americans eligible to do so, would help ensure the longevity of the program. 
• In an article in the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Maria Ponomarenko, an assistant professor at the University of Texas Law School, challenged the belief that local control over criminal justice leads to better outcomes. Ponomarenko argued that this assumption overlooks systemic flaws and disparities in local control. She contended that decentralization often exacerbates inequality—particularly in sentencing and enforcement—as local law enforcement and authorities often operate without sufficient oversight. Ponomarenko instead recommended that meaningful reforms should strike a balance between localized decision-making and state or federal intervention to ensure fairness and consistency in the criminal justice system. 

EDITOR’S CHOICE

• In an essay in The Regulatory Review, Amy Swearer, a senior legal fellow in the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation, discussed the implications of Garland v. Cargill on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF). Swearer explained that in Cargill, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that ATF exceeded its authority by classifying bump stocks as machine guns, highlighting the agency’s inconsistent regulatory stance over the years. Swearer argued that this decision casts doubts on ATF’s recent expansive interpretations of other federal gun laws, suggesting that its efforts to regulate firearms may face additional legal challenges.