Isabel Zagazeta is a 3L J.D. candidate and Dean’s Fellow at Cooley Law School in Tampa, Florida. Originally from Canada, she earned her undergraduate degree at Wilfrid Laurier University before moving to Florida to study law at Cooley. She has earned book awards, served on Law Review, mentored incoming students, and was part of Cooley’s Moot Court team that recently won first place at the 2026 Robert Orseck Moot Court Competition. With a passion for legal writing and healthcare compliance, Isabel is building a strong foundation for a future in law at Cooley.
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An oft-quoted cliche about a fast start is that someone “hit the ground running.” That certainly characterizes our new President and his blizzard of executive orders, directives, and announcements. On the other hand, a cliched criticism is that “fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” Both characterizations are apt regarding the President, as well as the commentary about the President’s actions, particularly media commentary.
Professor Emeritus Michael C.H. McDaniel recently provided legal insight on WILX 10 regarding proposed funding cuts to sanctuary communities.
The latest episode of WGVU's Mutually Inclusive takes an in-depth look at Kenneth Nixon's powerful story and the transformative work of the Cooley Law School Innocence Project.
Michael C. H. McDaniel, a retired professor at Cooley Law School and Director of Homeland Law LL.M., was recently featured on WZZM13, discussing the legal implications of a potential pause on federal assistance and the impact it could have on Grand Rapids. General McDaniel provided critical insight into a 1974 congressional act requiring the president to provide lawmakers with an advanced warning about proposed deferrals of budget authority.
In a recent story by FOX 17 News, Professor Jeffrey Swartz offered his expertise on the evolving landscape of U.S. immigration enforcement. As a former federal prosecutor and defense attorney, Professor Swartz noted that agents must follow procedures but believes mistakes will inevitably happen, leaving courts to shape future enforcement. Read the full article here: https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/you-still-have-rights-understanding-the-changes-in-immigration-enforcement.
The incoming President has proposed something called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The idea of “fixing” or “streamlining” the federal government is nothing new–nearly every president over the past one hundred years has sought to make the federal government more efficient by cutting out duplication, waste, and fraud. Nearly every president has failed to accomplish that objective.
This essay examines the power of the President to order that money appropriated by Congress should not be spent; put another way–can the President refuse to spend funds that Congress authorized to be spent? This essay presumes that the power of appropriation lies in Congress and that the power to spend appropriations lies in the executive branch, namely with the President.[1]
In recent days, two high-profile cases have cast a troubling light on the growing enthusiasm for vigilantism in America. From the tragic chokehold death of Jordan Neely to the violent shooting of United Health Care CEO Brian Thompson, these events raise critical questions about the legitimacy of individuals taking the law into their own hands.
Current circumstances compel examination of the power of a President of the United States to nominate appointees and to fill vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate. The first context for analysis requires a look at two constitutional provisions regarding the President’s appointment power:
