As recently as late March, public health authorities were saying people didn't need to wear face masks. They were important for medical personnel and health workers, of course, but unnecessary for others. Then, on April 3, the Centers for Disease Control said that people should start using "cloth...
The Defense Production Act , an act passed during the Korean war, gives the President the power to order private sectors to produce certain goods. History of the Defense Production Act In 1950, in the midst of the cold war, North Korea, backed by the Soviet Union, invaded South Korea, a U.S. ally....
The Defense Production Act , an act passed during the Korean war, gives the President the power to order private sectors to produce certain goods. History of the Defense Production Act In 1950, in the midst of the cold war, North Korea, backed by the Soviet Union, invaded South Korea, a U.S. ally....
President Trump has signed an executive order temporarily suspending certain immigrant visas as a measure to protect American jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This order comes after a staggering 26 million people have already applied for unemployment benefits. What Will Be the Effects of the...
Can a county or a municipality refuse or restrict entry to outsiders? Or even kick them out although they have residences there? That question has arisen with the spread of COVID-19 as several counties in Colorado and elsewhere have taken various steps to keep out outsiders, including those who own...
By mid-April, prime ministers and presidents of several European nations announced that their countries may begin to ease restrictions on business and industry in an effort to get their economies off the mat. At about the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump said that he wanted his nation to do...
Ordinarily, governors love it when people from other states come to visit and spend money. But these are not ordinary times. As the coronavirus pandemic has expanded exponentially in recent weeks, several governors have said outsiders are not welcome and have taken steps to stop them. Their fear:...
Yes, there are travel restrictions in place for travel within the United States. However, the restrictions vary from state to state, and essential workers are usually exempt. Currently, 93% of the world's population is living in countries with travel restrictions because of the coronavirus outbreak,...
When an emergency requires states to issue shelter in place or stay at home orders, each state takes a different approach. Basically, these types of orders require Americans to stay at home except to do essential activities like grocery shopping or going to the pharmacy. What Exactly Is Shelter in...
When a nation declares martial law, civil authority will be suspended and replaced by military rule. This usually happens as a response to a significant disaster. This article gives a general overview of martial law and how the U.S. has used it in the past. What Is Martial Law? Martial law, an act...
The Stafford Act gives the president the power to make disaster declarations during an emergency. But what is the Stafford Act? Where did it come from? What is the scope of the president's power? This article has answers. What Is the Stafford Act? The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and...
Many of the country's busiest cities have become ghost towns lately because of shelter-in-place orders and curfews. Experts say that these tactics have worked in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in places like China and South Korea. But getting Americans to stay inside isn't going to be easy. If...
Being stuck in a lockdown or a quarantine can be frightening. As bad as forced isolation can be, the worst part can be the uncertainty of what might lie ahead. Unfortunately, that's the price each of us pays when governments determine that a virus must be contained by limiting its opportunity to...
If you are ordered to "quarantine," that means you have been exposed to an infectious disease and thus must isolate yourself from other people until you are no longer contagious. But can you be forced to self-quarantine? This article addresses some of the common questions on the legal rights of the...
When I got home from work yesterday I walked to my mailbox and spotted my neighbor. We struck up polite conversation, consistent with social distancing mandates of course. During our conversation he expressed uncertainty as to whether he could drive during the Governor’s Safer at Home order. I do...
We aren't used to travel restrictions, bans on large gatherings, and shutting down bars, restaurants, museums, and theaters. But this is unfolding in state after state as the coronavirus spreads. Can governors, mayors, or the president do this? We're Americans, after all! What authority do they...
Nobody likes the thought that Covid-19 (a.k.a. "the coronavirus") is present in their community. So when governmental authorities recently informed two communities — Costa Mesa, California, and Anniston, Alabama — that they must allow coronavirus-infected people to be housed there for a time, the...
With the first confirmed positive tests of the coronavirus in the United States, public health officials are keeping a close watch on its progression. The virus, which broke out in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in mid-December, had infected thousands of people at a skyrocketing rate by the end...
Texas state agencies have a great deal of authority over governmental executive and licensing decisions across the state, including such ubiquitous activities as the issuance of drivers licenses and the regulation of multiple licensed professionals, such as doctors, attorneys, nurses, hairdressers,...
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) now has a new free mobile application called “eFOIA”, which allows users to submit and track Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests conveniently from an Android or Apple phone. You can download the free mobile application through Google Play and the App...
