Esther S. Yoo
@estheryoo.bsky.social
Assistant Professor, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law | Director, Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic
Pinned
Esther S. Yoo
@estheryoo.bsky.social
· Sep 11
How a Group of Students in the Pacific Islands Reshaped Global Climate Law
www.nytimes.com
Inspiring article (gift link) highlighting the important role that a group of student activists from the Pacific Islands played in bringing about the International Court of Justice's momentous climate ruling. Features Solomon Yeo, a recent LLM student @uhawaiilaw.bsky.social.
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
Richardson Law’s Ka Huli Ao Center celebrates 20 years of advancing Native Hawaiian legal education and advocacy. Councilmember Esther Kiaʻāina presented an honorary certificate recognizing its enduring impact on Hawaiʻi’s communities.
Mahalo to all who shaped this milestone!
🔗 buff.ly/K81zLg4
Mahalo to all who shaped this milestone!
🔗 buff.ly/K81zLg4
November 17, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Richardson Law’s Ka Huli Ao Center celebrates 20 years of advancing Native Hawaiian legal education and advocacy. Councilmember Esther Kiaʻāina presented an honorary certificate recognizing its enduring impact on Hawaiʻi’s communities.
Mahalo to all who shaped this milestone!
🔗 buff.ly/K81zLg4
Mahalo to all who shaped this milestone!
🔗 buff.ly/K81zLg4
Aloha nui to clinic fellow Stephanie Haro Sevilla for serving as a respondent, along w Prof. Mari Matsuda, at Satsuki Ina's lecture on the Japanese American internment. Stephanie shared about her family's recent experiences with her dad's immigration detention, connecting our past to our present.
Detention & Democracy | Satsuki Ina
YouTube video by UH Better Tomorrow Speaker Series
www.youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Aloha nui to clinic fellow Stephanie Haro Sevilla for serving as a respondent, along w Prof. Mari Matsuda, at Satsuki Ina's lecture on the Japanese American internment. Stephanie shared about her family's recent experiences with her dad's immigration detention, connecting our past to our present.
So happy for our clients. Their case lasted over five years including an appeal because of this admin's attacks on gender-based asylum claims. Incredible to see the expressions of happiness and relief flood the mother's face as her kids hugged her. Safe at last.
November 15, 2025 at 9:05 PM
So happy for our clients. Their case lasted over five years including an appeal because of this admin's attacks on gender-based asylum claims. Incredible to see the expressions of happiness and relief flood the mother's face as her kids hugged her. Safe at last.
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
From this minister's op-ed: "People wanting to experience God are more likely to meet the Divine trying to shut down the Broadview, Illinois, ICE facility than we ever were in church...God does not live in our houses of worship, but...with those who are bearing the brunt of cruelty in this moment."
Oh wow @reuters.com got the photo here:
November 14, 2025 at 9:38 PM
From this minister's op-ed: "People wanting to experience God are more likely to meet the Divine trying to shut down the Broadview, Illinois, ICE facility than we ever were in church...God does not live in our houses of worship, but...with those who are bearing the brunt of cruelty in this moment."
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
Mamdani: "New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant."
November 5, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Mamdani: "New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant."
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
Mamdani: "My message to ICE agents & to everyone across this city is that everyone will be held to the same standard of the law. If you violate it, you must be held accountable. There is sadly a sense growing that certain people are allowed to violate that law, whether they be POTUS or ICE agents."
November 5, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Mamdani: "My message to ICE agents & to everyone across this city is that everyone will be held to the same standard of the law. If you violate it, you must be held accountable. There is sadly a sense growing that certain people are allowed to violate that law, whether they be POTUS or ICE agents."
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
Imagine having a kid in this daycare who watches as their teacher is bodily dragged away by masked goons.
Federal agents pulling a woman out of Rayito Del Sol, a daycare by Lane Tech high school
November 5, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Imagine having a kid in this daycare who watches as their teacher is bodily dragged away by masked goons.
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
Mamdani: "Yes, aunties."
November 5, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Mamdani: "Yes, aunties."
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
The defense team presses Lairmore on whether the sandwich really 'exploded.' They return to the photo of the sandwich and wrapper on the ground.
"That sandwich hasn't exploded at all, has it?" defense asks.
"It looks like a little bit is coming out towards the bottom," Lairmore replies.
"That sandwich hasn't exploded at all, has it?" defense asks.
"It looks like a little bit is coming out towards the bottom," Lairmore replies.
November 4, 2025 at 4:37 PM
The defense team presses Lairmore on whether the sandwich really 'exploded.' They return to the photo of the sandwich and wrapper on the ground.
"That sandwich hasn't exploded at all, has it?" defense asks.
"It looks like a little bit is coming out towards the bottom," Lairmore replies.
"That sandwich hasn't exploded at all, has it?" defense asks.
"It looks like a little bit is coming out towards the bottom," Lairmore replies.
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
Border Patrol agent Lairmore testifies that he was not injured by the sandwich, but he felt the impact through his ballistic vest.
The sandwich came apart and "kind of exploded" on his chest upon impact, he says.
"I could smell the onions and mustard."
The sandwich came apart and "kind of exploded" on his chest upon impact, he says.
"I could smell the onions and mustard."
November 4, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Border Patrol agent Lairmore testifies that he was not injured by the sandwich, but he felt the impact through his ballistic vest.
The sandwich came apart and "kind of exploded" on his chest upon impact, he says.
"I could smell the onions and mustard."
The sandwich came apart and "kind of exploded" on his chest upon impact, he says.
"I could smell the onions and mustard."
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
Zohran picked 「卓蘭」("excellent orchid") for his first name and「夸梅」("brilliant plum") for his middle name.
The orchid and the plum are among "The Four Noble Ones" in traditional Chinese art, the former symbolizing an indifference to fame and fortune, the latter an indomitable, incorruptible spirit.
The orchid and the plum are among "The Four Noble Ones" in traditional Chinese art, the former symbolizing an indifference to fame and fortune, the latter an indomitable, incorruptible spirit.
highlight of my day!!!! vote @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social vote @workingfamilies.org ❤️❤️❤️
November 3, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Zohran picked 「卓蘭」("excellent orchid") for his first name and「夸梅」("brilliant plum") for his middle name.
The orchid and the plum are among "The Four Noble Ones" in traditional Chinese art, the former symbolizing an indifference to fame and fortune, the latter an indomitable, incorruptible spirit.
The orchid and the plum are among "The Four Noble Ones" in traditional Chinese art, the former symbolizing an indifference to fame and fortune, the latter an indomitable, incorruptible spirit.
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
That was the greatest baseball game I’ve ever seen.
November 2, 2025 at 4:19 AM
That was the greatest baseball game I’ve ever seen.
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
the displacement of individuals who genuinely meet the definition of "refugee" for purposes of domestic and international law, by people clearly undeserving and highly politicized, is scandalous. public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-19752.pdf
October 30, 2025 at 8:20 PM
the displacement of individuals who genuinely meet the definition of "refugee" for purposes of domestic and international law, by people clearly undeserving and highly politicized, is scandalous. public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-19752.pdf
Turkmenistan chic
something under discussed is the fact that white house renovations are currently being spearheaded by someone with famously bad interior design taste
October 31, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Turkmenistan chic
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
NEWS: The Trump admin's decision to suspend SNAP benefits due to the shutdown has been blocked. In two cases, both judges found the government action is likely illegal. Although a judge in Mass gave the admin until Monday to reverse course, a judge in Rhode Island issued a TRO from the bench today.
BREAKING: Federal judge rules that the Trump administration likely illegally suspended SNAP benefits, ruling that at least reduced distribution is required to go forward under law using the $6 billion reserve fund.
Judge gives the Trump admin until Monday to respond as to whether it will act.
Judge gives the Trump admin until Monday to respond as to whether it will act.
![UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS ET AL.,
Plaintiffs,
V.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ET AL.,
Defendants.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Civil Action No. 1:25-cv-13165-IT
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
October 31, 2025
TALWANI, D.J.
Pending before the court is Plaintiffs' Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order [Doc.
No. 3] seeking to enjoin, on an emergency basis, Defendants' November 1, 2025 suspension of benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ("SNAP"). For the reasons stated
below, Plaintiffs have standing to bring this action and are likely to succeed on their claim that
Defendants' suspension of SNAP benefits is unlawful. Where that suspension of benefits rested
on an erroneous construction of the relevant statutory provisions, the court will allow Defendants
to consider whether they will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November, and report
back to the court no later than Monday, November 3, 2025.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:36eqtmzysqf7wsslczw4uxcd/bafkreiczapq36myqhzcrdp4jfodg5rkso7nuvlta4e5b5r4l5upce7b3le@jpeg)
![As both parties acknowledge, Congress has not yet appropriated any new funds for SNAP
benefits for Fiscal Year 2026, which began on October 1, 2025. Pls.' Mem. 6 [Doc. No. 4];
Defs.' Opp'n 7 [Doc. No. 18]. But Congress took steps to protect against the deprivation of
SNAP assistance. In the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Pub. L. No. 118-42, § 6, 138
Stat. 25, 93-94, Congress separately appropriated $6 billion to the SNAP program "to remain available through September 30, 2026" and "be placed in reserve for use only in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations." See also Pub. L.
No. 119-4, § 1101(a), 139 Stat. 9, 10 (2025). As Plaintiffs point out, given the mandatory nature
of SNAP benefits under 7 U.S.C. § 2014(a) and the appropriation of these funds to be available
10
Case 1:25-cv-13165-IT
Document 26 Filed 10/31/25
Page 11 of 15
through this current fiscal year, the government is obligated to use this contingent reserve
account to fund SNAP "as may become necessary to carry out program operations." 138 Stat. at
93-94; Pls.' Mem. 11 [Doc. No. 4].](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:36eqtmzysqf7wsslczw4uxcd/bafkreiac7aa6icx44x5xjkilpwj7il5oriyttttnrslzrhkwvw6b32cbnm@jpeg)
October 31, 2025 at 6:28 PM
NEWS: The Trump admin's decision to suspend SNAP benefits due to the shutdown has been blocked. In two cases, both judges found the government action is likely illegal. Although a judge in Mass gave the admin until Monday to reverse course, a judge in Rhode Island issued a TRO from the bench today.
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
NEWS: In the Rhode Island case, per the minute entry, "the Court orders the USDA to distribute contingency funds; report to the Court by 12:00 PM on Monday, November 3, 2025, regarding the status of the distribution; and to honor the existing waivers."
October 31, 2025 at 6:38 PM
NEWS: In the Rhode Island case, per the minute entry, "the Court orders the USDA to distribute contingency funds; report to the Court by 12:00 PM on Monday, November 3, 2025, regarding the status of the distribution; and to honor the existing waivers."
The only Dawn Patrol we've been partaking in lately
October 30, 2025 at 10:30 PM
The only Dawn Patrol we've been partaking in lately
That sad feeling when you wear goth white costume makeup for Halloween and it's only a shade paler than your actual skin tone
October 30, 2025 at 9:56 PM
That sad feeling when you wear goth white costume makeup for Halloween and it's only a shade paler than your actual skin tone
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
Please join me in signing this @change.org petition by NOON on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, to convene a special session of the Hawaii legislature to appropriate rainy day funds for discontinued SNAP benefits.
Thank you for your attention to this matter! @indivisiblehawaii.bsky.social
Thank you for your attention to this matter! @indivisiblehawaii.bsky.social
Can you spare a minute to help this campaign?
Call for a Special Session of the Hawai‘i State Legislature
c.org
October 30, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Please join me in signing this @change.org petition by NOON on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, to convene a special session of the Hawaii legislature to appropriate rainy day funds for discontinued SNAP benefits.
Thank you for your attention to this matter! @indivisiblehawaii.bsky.social
Thank you for your attention to this matter! @indivisiblehawaii.bsky.social
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustees has approved $6.1 million in emergency funding.
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/10/29/oha-approves-6m-native-hawaiian-families-impacted-by-government-shutdown/
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/10/29/oha-approves-6m-native-hawaiian-families-impacted-by-government-shutdown/
October 29, 2025 at 6:15 AM
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustees has approved $6.1 million in emergency funding.
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/10/29/oha-approves-6m-native-hawaiian-families-impacted-by-government-shutdown/
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/10/29/oha-approves-6m-native-hawaiian-families-impacted-by-government-shutdown/
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
Today is the #SNAPDayOfAction, and we need you to join us and act now.
42 million Americans are at risk of losing SNAP benefits on Nov 1st. USDA has a contingency fund but hasn't released it. Contact your Members of Congress today: actionnetwork.org/letters/cong...
42 million Americans are at risk of losing SNAP benefits on Nov 1st. USDA has a contingency fund but hasn't released it. Contact your Members of Congress today: actionnetwork.org/letters/cong...
October 28, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Today is the #SNAPDayOfAction, and we need you to join us and act now.
42 million Americans are at risk of losing SNAP benefits on Nov 1st. USDA has a contingency fund but hasn't released it. Contact your Members of Congress today: actionnetwork.org/letters/cong...
42 million Americans are at risk of losing SNAP benefits on Nov 1st. USDA has a contingency fund but hasn't released it. Contact your Members of Congress today: actionnetwork.org/letters/cong...
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
The Trump Administration’s assertion that it can't use SNAP’s contingency reserves for SNAP benefits is contrary to:
▪️The plain language of the law
▪️Their own (now deleted) shutdown plan
▪️Guidance from prior Administrations
We have the receipts:
▪️The plain language of the law
▪️Their own (now deleted) shutdown plan
▪️Guidance from prior Administrations
We have the receipts:
SNAP’s Contingency Reserve Is Available for Regular SNAP Benefits, as USDA and OMB Have Ruled in Past
The Administration must use all available options to fund November benefits for the 1 in 8 people in the U.S. who need SNAP to afford their grocery bill.
www.cbpp.org
October 27, 2025 at 8:19 PM
The Trump Administration’s assertion that it can't use SNAP’s contingency reserves for SNAP benefits is contrary to:
▪️The plain language of the law
▪️Their own (now deleted) shutdown plan
▪️Guidance from prior Administrations
We have the receipts:
▪️The plain language of the law
▪️Their own (now deleted) shutdown plan
▪️Guidance from prior Administrations
We have the receipts:
Reposted by Esther S. Yoo
“Hello? 911? Someone called their mother’s cousin an auntie.”
October 28, 2025 at 7:15 PM
“Hello? 911? Someone called their mother’s cousin an auntie.”