Fired federal prosecutor Maurene Comey has sued the U.S. government over her abrupt July dismissal, saying it came without cause or notice and was unlawful and unconstitutional. The lawsuit, filed Monday in Manhattan federal court, blamed her firing in part on the fact that her father is former FBI Director James Comey. President Donald Trump fired him in 2017 and James Comey has since repeatedly criticized Trump. In New York, Maurene Comey had earned praise for her handling of sex abuse cases, including the prosecutions of financier Jeffrey Epstein, his onetime girlfriend, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, and music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs.

Chief Justice John Roberts agreed Monday to pause a midnight deadline for the Trump administration to return a Maryland man mistakenly deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador. The administration appealed to the Supreme Court after a judge ordered the administration to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States by midnight. The administration has previously acknowledged he should not have been deported, but argued the government has no way to get him back from El Salvador.

As the Trump administration works on pledges to crack down on illegal immigration, the flurry of activity has stretched across the federal government. Many immigration and border security functions are centered in the Department of Homeland Security. But President Donald Trump's sweeping promises have translated into a whole-of-government approach. Nearly every major Cabinet agency is an immigration agency in Trump's government. The departments of State, Defense and Justice have made immigration a clear priority. Parts of the departments of Treasury and Health and Human Services have been involved in enforcement, too. The reach of immigration is only expected to grow, with Trump signing an executive order aimed Wednesday at ending federal benefits for people in the U.S. illegally.

Matt Gaetz has withdrawn as Donald Trump's pick for attorney general following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation. The Florida Republican made the announcement Thursday. Gaetz's withdrawal is a blow to Trump's push to install steadfast loyalists in his incoming administration and the first sign that Trump could face resistance from members of his own party. Trump said in a social media post that Gaetz "did not want to be a distraction for the Administration." Gaetz said "it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work" of the transition team. He added, "There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle."

The Justice Department says Attorney General Merrick Garland will not be prosecuted for contempt of Congress after refusing to turn over audio of President Joe Biden's interview in his classified documents case because his actions "did not constitute a crime." A Justice Department official said that in a letter to Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday. The House voted Wednesday to hold Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over the audio of Biden's interview with a special counsel. The Democratic White House has accused Republicans of wanting the audio recordings only so they can chop them up and use them for political purposes.

Senators criticized top federal officials over the rise of illegal electronic cigarettes in the U.S., a multibillion-dollar business that has flourished in recent years. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Food and Drug Administration and Justice Department leaders about efforts to stay on top of the vaping industry. The government agencies have cracked down on a handful of manufacturers of e-cigarettes, but thousands of unauthorized products continue to be sold in vape shops and convenience stores. Most are imported from China. Senator Dick Durbin singled out the FDA for not taking action against a vape shop selling illegal products less than a mile from its headquarters.

Attorney General Merrick Garland is forcefully rebuking what he describes as "unprecedented" attacks on the Justice Department. Garland on Tuesday told House Republicans who have sought to hold him in contempt that he will "not be intimidated." During a hearing before the the House Judiciary Committee, Garland condemned what he said are "baseless and extremely dangerous falsehoods" being peddled about the FBI and slammed threats to defund the special counsel prosecutions of former President Donald Trump. His appearance comes as Republicans have moved to hold him in contempt for the Biden administration's refusal to hand over audio of President Joe Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur.