How This 70-Year-Old Civil Rights Incident Is A Cautionary Tale For Trump Ignoring Court Rulings in 2025 (2025)

History always repeats itself, but what happens if you never learn your lesson the first time? As President Donald Trump continues his deportation mandate, many are concerned his disregard for court orders will have grave consequences.

What’s even scarier is the president’s recent actions are comparable to one of the darkest times in American history.

Just yesterday, Judge Brian Murphy warned Trump deporting a group of migrants to South Sudan could breech his federal court order from last month, according to BBC. This comes in the midst of legal battles between the administration and several federal judges over ongoing deportation cases.

It comes down to a debate over the rights of migrants and Trump’s “deport now, ask questions later” mentality, and it’s drawing eerie comparisons to the struggle for civil rights in this country.

The Civil Rights Movement is a clear example of the true power of federal law. Without court rulings like Brown v. Board of Education, American society would look drastically different today. Now, our nation is at a crossroads in regards to yet another humanitarian crisis: immigration. But to fully understand the implications of Trump’s actions, you’d have to revisit the dark history of segregation’s past.

The Cautionary Tale of the Little Rock Nine

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. Brown v. Board of Education was immediately met with backlash, as exemplified by the treatment of the first students to desegregate Central High School in Little Rock, Ark., better known as the Little Rock Nine.

The nine Black students were spit at, beaten and harassed by segregationists just for trying to go to school. The hatred towards the young students was further justified by Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus, who unapologetically resisted the Supreme Court’s 1954 decision. This led to the Cooper v. Aaron ruling of 1958, which reenforced the state’s obligation to desegregate schools. The federal government even had to bring in the National Guard to escort the Little Rock Nine to school.

Trump vs. Judge Wilkinson

Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III, an 80-year-old President Ronald Reagan appointee, referenced the Cooper v. Aaron ruling after Trump refused to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling to bring back Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported despite a judge’s 2019 ruling barring that very thing from happening, as we previously reported.

Wilkinson described the administration’s defiance as “shocking” before reminding Trump to respect the rule of law, adding that it is “all too possible to see in this case an incipient crisis.”

Why it Matters

The difference between Trump’s clear defiance of federal rulings and Little Rock’s segregation struggle comes down to state versus executive power. Despite Arkansas’ refusal to comply, the federal government stepped in, ensuring the respect for law and safety of the Black students. Today, there is no one to step in to ensure the president is playing by the rules of judge’s orders, and whether now or later, there’s bound to be consequences.

As history has shown us, without checks and balances, the American system will fail. Take a look at the Civil War, when the country was ripped in half over slavery and states’ rights. If Trump continues on the path of defiance and if no one can put him in check, America will be forced to make a decision.

Which do we value more...the power of the president or the integrity of the Constitution?