Politics roundup: Top stories you may have missed this week

This week in politics, President Donald Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship was blocked twice, several other Trump administration directives faced legal challenges, Trump issued a new executive order to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports, Trump said the U.S. would take over Gaza before officials walked back that statement, key cabinet nominations were approved, tariffs against Canada and Mexico were paused and more.National headlinesA second federal judge in two days has blocked President Donald Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship for the children of parents who are in the U.S. illegally.A federal judge has temporarily blocked Trump’s offer to federal workers to resign in exchange for pay through Sept. 30.A group of families with transgender children filed a lawsuit Tuesday over Trump’s executive order to halt federal support for gender-affirming health care for transgender people under age 19.A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from placing 2,200 employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development on paid leave.Nineteen Democratic attorneys general sued Trump on Friday to stop Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Treasury Department records that contain sensitive personal data such as Social Security and bank account numbers for millions of Americans.FBI agents who participated in investigations related to Trump have sued over Justice Department efforts to develop a list of employees involved in those inquiries that they fear could be a precursor to mass firings.The Trump administration sued Chicago on Thursday alleging that ‘sanctuary’ laws in the nation’s third-largest city “thwart” federal efforts to enforce immigration laws.A Constitutional law expert discussed Trump’s push to expand executive power.Trump signed an executive order Wednesday banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, marking a significant policy shift.The NCAA changed its participation policy for transgender athletes on Thursday, limiting competition in women’s sports to athletes assigned female at birth only.While meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, D.C., Trump said the U.S. planned to “take over” the Gaza Strip and permanently resettle its Palestinian residents.After serious pushback, Trump’s top diplomat and his main spokesperson on Wednesday walked back the idea that he wants the permanent relocation of Palestinians from Gaza.The Senate confirmed Attorney General Pam Bondi, OMB Director Russell Vought, Veteran Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and HUD Secretary Scott Turner this week.Trump on Monday agreed to a 30-day pause on his tariff threats against Mexico and Canada as America’s two largest trading partners took steps to appease his concerns about border security and drug trafficking.Meanwhile, Trump implemented new tariffs on Chinese products, leading China to retaliate with tariffs on U.S. goods.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio left El Salvador on Tuesday with an agreement from that country’s president to accept deportees from the U.S. of any nationality, including violent American criminals now imprisoned in the United States.Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo said Wednesday his country will accept migrants from other countries who are being deported from the United States.A spokesperson for Sen. Mitch McConnell said the former Senate majority leader is “fine” after falling down stairs in the Capitol.An Italian lawmaker has filed a legal complaint for hunting without a license against Donald Trump Jr. and his hunting party after allegedly shooting in a protected conservation area of the Venice lagoon.Trump said Tuesday that he’d given his advisers instructions to obliterate Iran if it assassinates him.The first U.S. military flight to deport migrants from the United States to Guantanamo Bay was set to depart Tuesday, a U.S. official said.The Pentagon will deploy roughly 1,500 more active duty soldiers to the southern border to support Trump’s expanding crackdown on immigration, a U.S. official said Friday. That would eventually bring the total to about 3,600 active-duty troops at the border. Video of the week: What is impoundment and how does President Trump want to use it? Hearst reporting spotlightJosh Kraft launches campaign for mayor of Boston with criticism of Mayor Michelle WuJosh Kraft, the president of the New England Patriots Foundation and son of Patriots owner Robert Kraft, launched his campaign for mayor of Boston on Tuesday by outlining his top priorities and firing harsh criticism at current Mayor Michelle Wu.“We have a leader who just does not listen,” Kraft said. “Too often, Mayor Wu acts as if she has all the answers. Whether it’s housing, schools, neighborhood services or bike lanes, instead of listening to community voices trying to understand what families and businesses need, too often they’re being tuned out.”The Democrat, who filed his candidacy papers last week and released a campaign campaign video on Monday, made his first campaign speech on Tuesday at Prince Hall in the Grove Hall section of Dorchester.“Today, because I love this city and its people, I’m excited to declare my candidacy to be the next mayor of the City of Boston,” Kraft said. “I enter this race as an underdog and I know this is going to be an uphill fight, but I’m excited for the challenge. Excited for the opportunity to listen and learn from the people of Boston.” Read the full story here.Look aheadTrump traveled down to Mar-a-Lago in Florida on Friday for a dinner with GOP senators.Trump will attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Sunday, making him the first sitting president to do so.The Senate will return to D.C. on Tuesday, Feb. 11 and remain in session the rest of the week.The House will be in session between Monday, Feb. 10 and Thursday, Feb. 13 next week.