A tripartite agreement to save NAFTA has been reached. The agreement, reached late last night, provides Congress the necessary 60 days’ notice of the text to approve so that President Pena Nieto of Mexico can sign before he leaves office on November 30th. All three countries wanted to get a deal done before the change of government in Mexico to President – Elect Lopez Obrador. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia…

Soon after Fidel Castro overthrew the government of Cuba to found a communist state in 1959, Cuba began nationalizing U.S-owned properties in Cuba. In response, the U.S. implemented trade restrictions, closed its embassy in Havana, broke official diplomatic relations with Cuba, and attempted to overthrow the Cuban government. The U.S. also declared a trade embargo on Cuba in 1960, which severely hampered the Cuban economy over the course of the next half-century.…

The 25% steel and 10% aluminum tariffs announced today, and effective 15 days from now, raise a new cloud over the NAFTA negotiations. Although they temporarily exempt Canada and Mexico, the Administration has made it clear that the tariffs are still a prospect for Canada and Mexico if they do not make concessions on NAFTA. The Canadian and Mexican negotiators have rejected this linkage.…

What is Prop 65? Prop 65 is a California law that requires California consumers receive warnings regarding the presence of chemicals that cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. The law is highly technical, constantly evolving and actively enforced by the government and private enforcers.…

A few weeks ago, we wrote about the latest district court decisions involving the President’s so-called travel ban, in which a Hawaii court fully enjoined the proclamation, while a Maryland court allowed it to stand as to travelers without bona fide ties to the U.S. The Hawaii court’s order meant that Travel Ban 3.0 was put on hold.…

BACKGROUND In 2005, Congress passed the Real ID Act, enacting national standards for obtaining state driver’s licenses and I.D. cards. These federally mandated standards require states to use enhanced security features and identification procedures, and to review documentary evidence of legal status, before issuing a driver’s license or identity document. The Act requires that only individuals with a Real-ID-compliant identity document may (1) access federal facilities; (2) enter nuclear power plants; or (3) board commercial…

On September 24, President Trump issued a “Presidential Proclamation Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats.” Most people know it better as Travel Ban 3.0 or EO3 (for “Executive Order #3”), the President’s third attempt to impose travel restrictions on nationals of certain countries who seek to enter the United States. If it feels like you’ve seen this movie before, that’s because you…