Another week, another batch of Trump’s executive orders that are equal parts unconstitutional, unethical, and completely unhinged. At this point, I’m half-convinced he’s speedrunning fascism just to see how much he can get away with before someone actually stops him.
This week’s highlights? More attacks on immigrants, unions, and the press—because of course. Plus, he’s now deciding what books you’re allowed to read and trying to make protesting illegal. Let’s get into it.
1. The “No More Foreign Workers” Order (February 24, 2025)
What it does: Bans federal contracts with companies that employ foreign workers, including immigrants on legal visas.
Why it’s a problem:
- Legal: This violates federal labor laws and trade agreements. You can’t just decide companies can’t hire immigrants when they’re here legally.
- Ethical: Xenophobic much? Immigrants contribute billions to the economy, but sure, let’s pretend they’re the problem.
- Constitutional: Discriminating against workers based on nationality? Sounds like an Equal Protection Clause violation to me.
2. The “Truth in Journalism” Initiative (February 25, 2025)
What it does: Establishes a federal review board to evaluate whether media outlets are “accurately” reporting the news.
Why it’s a problem:
- Legal: This is literally government-run media oversight. That is not a thing in a democracy.
- Ethical: The government should not be deciding what news is “real” and what isn’t. That’s how dictatorships work.
- Constitutional: First Amendment, First Amendment, FIRST AMENDMENT. How many times do we have to say it?
3. The “Law & Order” Protest Ban (February 26, 2025)
What it does: Criminalizes “unauthorized” protests near government buildings and allows federal agents to arrest organizers.
Why it’s a problem:
- Legal: The First Amendment protects the right to protest. Full stop.
- Ethical: Protests exist to hold the government accountable. You don’t get to just outlaw dissent.
- Constitutional: Again, THE FIRST AMENDMENT EXISTS. This would get laughed out of court (if courts weren’t already stacked with Trump judges).
4. The “American Values” Education Act (February 27, 2025)
What it does: Cuts federal funding for schools that teach books deemed “unpatriotic.”
Why it’s a problem:
- Legal: The federal government does not control school curricula. That’s a states’ rights thing.
- Ethical: Book bans never age well. Ever. Just ask every authoritarian regime in history.
- Constitutional: Censorship. It’s censorship. And it violates students’ and teachers’ free speech rights.
5. The “Workers’ Freedom” Act (February 28, 2025)
What it does: Ends federal protections for striking workers and allows companies to permanently replace them.
Why it’s a problem:
- Legal: This directly violates the National Labor Relations Act, which protects workers’ right to strike.
- Ethical: Ah yes, giving corporations even more power to exploit workers. Super cool and not horrifying at all.
- Constitutional: The government cannot just override labor laws without Congress. That’s not how laws work.
6. The “Religious Liberty” Executive Order (March 1, 2025)
What it does: Expands the ability of businesses and organizations to deny services based on religious beliefs.
Why it’s a problem:
- Legal: This opens the door for legal discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, women, religious minorities—you name it.
- Ethical: We’ve tried “separate but equal” before. It didn’t end well.
- Constitutional: The First Amendment protects religious freedom, sure—but it doesn’t let you weaponize it against other people.
7. The “Secure the Homeland” Border Expansion (March 2, 2025)
What it does: Authorizes the military to patrol the U.S.-Mexico border and allows them to use force against “trespassers.”
Why it’s a problem:
- Legal: The Posse Comitatus Act prohibits using the military for domestic law enforcement. This violates that.
- Ethical: Armed soldiers patrolling our borders, using force at their discretion? What could possibly go wrong? (Spoiler: Everything.)
- Constitutional: This is as unconstitutional as it is terrifying. The military is not a police force.
Final Thoughts
At this point, Trump’s executive orders are basically a “How to Destroy Democracy” speedrun. Censorship, anti-worker policies, military force at the border, criminalizing protests—this is straight-up authoritarianism.
Next week, I fully expect an executive order declaring Trump TV as the only legal news source. Because let’s be honest—that’s exactly where this is headed.
Sources:
- List of Executive Orders – Wikipedia
- Freedom of the Press – ACLU
- Labor Rights & Strikes – Department of Labor
- Education Policy – U.S. Department of Education
- Immigration Law – National Immigration Law Center