Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury
A divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Friday sided with the Trump administration’s interpretation of immigration law, allowing the government to detain noncitizens without the opportunity to seek bond while they contest deportation. The opinion comes as federal district courts across the country confront a surge of lawsuits challenging the Administration’s approach.
Last week, The Texas Lawbook had the honor of co-hosting the 2025 DFW Corporate Counsel Awards with the Association of Corporate Counsel DFW Chapter. The words shared by the four honorees in the Diversity and Inclusion and Pro Bono and Public Service categories are still resonating with us and are well worth sharing with readers in this column.
In this edition of P.S., we also report that Dallas-based Attorneys Serving the Community held a record-breaking fundraising event for Shared Housing Center and a Paul Hastings Texas partner has joined the advisory board of the Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law.
As federal district courts across the country grapple with a surge of lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s approach to detaining noncitizens without bond, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit appears poised to side with the government. A three-judge panel heard arguments Tuesday in consolidated Texas cases, and questions from Judges Edith H. Jones and Stuart Kyle Duncan suggested support for the government’s interpretation of immigration law. Judge Dana M. Douglas’ questions, by contrast, appeared to be at odds with her colleagues.
Former immigration judge Daniel H. Weiss, who listened to the hearing, said he expects a 2-1 decision in the government’s favor.
Federal district court judges in Texas — from across the political spectrum — are rejecting the Trump administration’s reinterpretation of immigration law in order to detain immigrants without the opportunity to seek bond while they contest the government’s attempts to deport them, even if they’ve lived in the U.S. for decades and have no criminal record.
One case is headed for review before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Tuesday morning.
At least one U.S. district judge in El Paso is urging lawyers in related habeas corpus cases to be prepared for dispositive hearings following the Fifth Circuit panel’s decision, saying his court has been receiving up to 25 such cases each week.
Charles Gearing felt an itch last summer to get more involved in pro bono work. The healthcare litigation lawyer at Weaver Johnston Nelson in Dallas found a project that advertised a limited scope — helping detained noncitizens apply for bond — that seemed like work that required less lawyering than sleuthing and logistical hustle, or so Gearing thought. He took on the case of Pedro Romo Navarro, a Mexican citizen living in Dallas for the past three decades who was facing deportation after being stopped by police for riding a bicycle without a front light.
What began as a seemingly simple bond request plunged Gearing into a nationwide legal and political controversy over the detention of longtime U.S. residents with no criminal records, often for months at a time in unsanitary facilities and without the opportunity for a bond hearing. Lawyers argue that these detentions violate the Immigration and Nationality Act and constitutional due process rights.
In this edition of P.S., we report that San Antonio native Cristina M. Rodríguez is set to make history as the first Latina to lead Yale Law School when she assumes the deanship on Feb. 1. Also, the San Antonio Legal Services Association has announced that Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby will serve as the keynote speaker at its premier fundraising event in April. And retired U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn, a trailblazer and mentor to many, will be honored with the Charles O. Galvin Award for Extraordinary Service as part of SMU Dedman School of Law’s 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards.
A 3.6 percent funding cut approved by the U.S. Senate for the Legal Services Corporation — the federal nonprofit that funds legal aid organizations nationwide — will result in an estimated $1.9 million loss for Texas, marking yet another setback for legal aid providers after a year of repeated funding reductions, advocates said.
“It’s been death by a thousand cuts,” said Betty Torres, executive director of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, which also supports the state’s three major organizations: Lone Star Legal Aid, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. Advocates remain grateful that funding continues for LSC, which had been on the chopping block after President Donald Trump proposed eliminating it entirely.
In this edition of P.S., we spotlight the Dallas Bar Association’s Martin Luther King Jr. Justice Award Luncheon. During the event, Shonn Evans Brown of Heidelberg Materials North American was honored with the MLK Jr. Justice Award for her leadership, commitment to justice and service to the legal profession and broader community. We also share news that SMU Law donors met a fundraising goal set by the Stanton Foundation, which provided a $2 million endowment gift. There’re also some important dates you don’t want to miss: Attorneys Serving the Community has opened applications for its 2026–2027 beneficiary partnership, and the annual Champions of Justice Gala announced the date of its 2026 event. Last but not least, William Toles, a litigation shareholder at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, has been selected to receive the James H. “Blackie” Holmes Award from the Dallas Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates.
Shannon Cagnina, general counsel for Phillips Enterprises, is being honored with a 2025 Corporate Counsel Award for her pro bono and public service work on Trey’s Law and Texas camp safety legislation. Cagnina’s humility and faith-driven commitment to service have made her a quiet force behind reforms that are already reshaping protections for abuse survivors and camp goers.
Toyota Managing Counsel Scott Young is being honored with a 2025 Corporate Counsel Award for Achievement in Pro Bono and Public Service in recognition of his lifelong commitment to service, shaped by his upbringing and early humanitarian work. Alongside major legal leadership roles at Toyota, including transformative development and manufacturing projects, Young has led and expanded the company’s pro bono efforts, providing legal assistance to vulnerable communities.
Known for her collaborative leadership and strategic judgment, Sarah Wariner, senior vice president and deputy general counsel at Jacobs, has built high-performing teams by prioritizing diverse perspectives, mentorship and business-focused legal strategy. Her commitment to diversity and inclusion amid a shifting legal landscape has earned her recognition from the ACC DFW Chapter and The Texas Lawbook.
From a first-generation student to a corporate lawyer with a national platform, Nayelly Dominguez has spent her career expanding access and mentorship to attorneys from underrepresented communities. For her work across in-house legal departments and bar associations, she is one of two lawyers receiving the award for Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion from the Association of Corporate Counsel’s DFW Chapter and The Texas Lawbook.
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