courts

Although the Supreme Court didn't weigh in on the legality of the Trump administration's plans to shrink the federal workforce, it allowed the firings to go forward while lawsuits play out. That will likely play out in Kansas City, which is home to nearly 30,000 federal employees at multiple government agencies.

A Jackson County Circuit Court judge blocked enforcement last week of nearly all Missouri laws that restrict abortion, ruling the 2024 passage of Amendment 3 enshrined the right to an abortion in the state constitution. Missouri has already started and stopped abortion services several times this year as legal battles continue.

Immigrants, including unaccompanied children, have little legal options once they're targeted for deportation — and no universal right to a government-appointed attorney. Kansas City's immigration court currently has a backlog of more than 52,000 cases.

Missouri is one of two states where a judge can hand down death when juries cannot agree unanimously on a sentence. Since the law changed in 1984, at least 18 people have been sentenced to death by a judge, and four have been executed.

The decision issues some limits on the power of federal judges to universally block President Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship, asking lower courts to reconsider their rulings.

Reports of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity at Kansas City immigration courts are causing some people to miss routine hearings out of fear, leading to orders for their deportation. Attorneys and advocates are trying to help.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is ramping up arrests nationwide and, for the first time, picking up noncitizens at federal immigration courts. Kansas City isn’t seeing as many arrests as other cities, but attorneys say “the chaos is the point and the cruelty is the point.”

Recent reports of immigrants being picked up by ICE after appearing at Kansas City immigration court have caused a surge in attendance of concerned advocates and attorneys. These advocates say the arrests are an intimidation tactic, as the Trump administration tries to speed up deportations.

Kansas legislators passed a law this year that bans gender-affirming treatments for young transgender people. Plaintiffs say it violates fundamental rights in the state constitution.

A U.S. District Court judge ruled in favor of a private prison company that plans to use its troubled Leavenworth facility for immigration detention. The city argued CoreCivic should follow local laws first.

Immigration courts in Kansas City have put up notices urging defendants to admit guilt and leave the country. Critics say the flyers are another way that the Trump administration is undercutting due process.

After a challenge by Republican officials, a federal appeals panel struck down a key way of enforcing the Voting Rights Act's protections against racial discrimination in seven states — including Missouri.