PSJD News Digest – October 17, 2025

October 17, 2025 at 3:08 pm · Filed under Public Interest Law News Bulletin

Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives

Photo: Harris and Ewing Collection, Library of Congress

Hi Interested Public,

It’s been a long week. I’ve highlighted a few urgent stories with my “Editor’s Choices” but there’s simply too many major items for that section to contain. In addition: the “Federal Shutdown” area contains some of our first glimpses of the Trump administration’s approach to government spending during the shutdown; some employees are continuing to draw paychecks (“We got the people that we want paid — paid,” Trump said”). “Non-Federal Government Issues” includes some interesting responses to our extraordinary circumstances from local governments: a proposed tax increase from the Mayor of Chicago and a newly-declared State of Emergency in Los Angeles County which will provide legal aid funding for affected residents. And “Civil Society” includes a story on planned efforts to retool the IRS to “Enable Pursuit of Left-Leaning Groups.” As always, these stories and more are in the links below.

Solidarity,

Sam

Editor’s Choice(s)

Federal Restructuring

Federal Shutdown

  • ‘Budgetary Twister:’ Trump administration pushes limits to pay federal law enforcement amid shutdown (Federal News Network; 16 Oct 2025)

    “The Defense Department started the trend this week by repurposing $6.5 billion in unspent research and development funds to keep active-duty service members from missing a paycheck on Wednesday. Military personnel have never missed a paycheck during a government shutdown. In another unusual step, FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters at the White House on Wednesday that the Trump administration has taken steps to ensure that the bureau’s special agents will be paid during the shutdown…Patel didn’t specify what funding the FBI would use to keep paying its special agents, and the FBI didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment…Meanwhile, attorneys at the Justice Department are continuing to represent the Trump administration in court, even though they are working through the shutdown without pay.”

  • Trump to pay Ice and border agents amid shutdown as other federal workers go unpaid (The Guardian; 17 Oct 2025)

    “The Trump administration has promised tens of thousands of federal agents carrying out his immigration crackdown that they will be paid during the government shutdown, according to emails seen by Reuters, even as other federal workers go without pay…After the story was reported, Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, said in a statement that more than 70,000 law enforcement officers across DHS including those at CBP, Ice, the Secret Service and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will be paid. They are to receive by 22 October a “supercheck” covering pay for all hours worked during the shutdown period and the next pay period, she said.”

  • Lawmakers demand White House ensure back pay for furloughed employees (Federal News Network; 16 Oct 2025)

    “In a letter to the Office of Management and Budget, House and Senate lawmakers wrote that the law is clear: Furloughed employees are owed back pay, just as excepted employees are. The letter comes after OMB questioned whether the law actually guaranteed pay for furloughed feds. OMB’s legal opinion, though, quickly received backlash from lawmakers, unions and other employee organizations.”

Non-Federal Governmental Issues

Civil Society

Student Debt & Other Student Concerns

Conflicts Over Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

Access to Justice