Congress Unleashes Investigation into Trump’s Shocking Proposal to Suspend Habeas Corpus
Just two days after a jaw-dropping New York Times report revealed White House adviser Stephen Miller's audacious proposal to suspend Habeas Corpus, a US House committee has launched an investigation into this constitutional nightmare.
Rep. Robert Garcia, a California Democrat and ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, fired off a memo to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles demanding a trove of records. The inquiry, obtained by Meidas Touch Network, seeks “All memoranda regarding the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus and all memoranda regarding the Insurrection Act, as well as any documents, records, and communications regarding the invocation of the Insurrection Act or the suspension of habeas corpus.”
Garcia's inquiry also targets “All documents, records, and communications between Deputy Chief Stephen Miller or any other White House official and the Department of Justice regarding the suspension of habeas corpus during the American Civil War.” The memo sets a hard deadline for the White House to deliver these records to the Oversight Committee by July 1.
The June 15 New York Times report claims Miller “advocated for the illegal suspension of fundamental civil liberties” as the Administration mulled over suspending habeas corpus rights and invoking the Insurrection Act to crush peaceful protests in Minneapolis. Garcia's probe labels the idea of suspending habeas corpus as “an egregious violation of the Constitution.”
The White House remained silent on requests for comment Wednesday morning.
The New York Times piece, penned by Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman, detailed how Miller suggested expediting deportations following a 2025 court ruling that granted immigrants the right to challenge their deportations “before being expelled.”
According to Haberman and Swan, “Inside the White House, Mr. Miller, the influential deputy chief of staff, saw an opening for an idea he had raised previously: What if Mr. Trump simply claimed the power to suspend habeas corpus?”
This chilling proposal would prevent detained immigrants from receiving hearings or seeking court orders to block their removal from the country. It presented Trump with a chance not only to accelerate deportations but also to assert sweeping control over a legal system that was obstructing his agenda.
A White House spokesperson responded to the Times report, stating, “Members of the administration often have conversations about many different lawful options to implement the president’s agenda — with the president always being the ultimate decider.”
The House Oversight Committee Democrats have launched multiple investigations into the Trump Administration’s deportation tactics and executive power usage. As the minority party in the US House, they lack subpoena power and cannot convene formal hearings with witnesses. However, they are gearing up for potential probes if they regain majority control in the upcoming November midterm elections.
In their memo to Wiles, Garcia and his fellow Democrats demand confirmation that the White House and Department of Justice will immediately preserve all documents, communications, and other materials relevant to these alarming matters and provide a detailed catalog of all preserved records.
