Case: Institute for Applied Ecology v. Burgum

6:25-cv-02364 | U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon

Filed Date: Dec. 18, 2025

Case Ongoing

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Case Summary

On December 18, 2025, Plaintiffs—three 501(c)(3) environmental organizations—brought this lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior and several other federal land use departments in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. Plaintiffs challenged the cancellation of federal grants, allegedly for reasons related to DEI speech. Bringing claims under the First and Fifth Amendments, they sought a declaration vacating Defendants’ terminations of Plaintiffs’ grants, as well as inju…

On December 23, 2025, Plaintiffs moved for a preliminary injunction. They sought: (1) a declaration of Defendants’ terminations of grants previously awarded to Plaintiffs as unlawful and violative of the First Amendment; (2) to prohibit Defendants from effectuating the terminations and allow plaintiffs a no-cost extension for the time needed to resume and complete interrupted work and return to the lawful and orderly grant procedures used prior to September 23, 2025; (3) to enjoin defendants from withholding federal funds to Plaintiffs based on Plaintiffs’ actual or perceived statements regarding DEI while the case is ongoing; and (4) to require Defendants to file a regularly scheduled Status Report documenting the actions that they have taken to comply with the Court’s order.

In the motion, Plaintiffs explained that the Department of the Interior's grant rescissions closely followed statements that were elicited from employees of various grant-receiving institutions in which those employees voiced support for DEI and its principles. After the rescissions, Defendants then boasted on social media about how said terminations were made on the basis of Plaintiffs' views on DEI. Plaintiffs asserted that the Interior's grant terminations evidence that the agency is using a change in agency priorities to masquerade an attempt to suppress free speech. Plaintiffs also allege that the terminations would cause irreparable harm in the form of forced layoffs, reduced programming and research, reputational damage, and a severe chilling of employee free speech. Without the grant funds, Plaintiffs contended that damage would also extend to the ecological areas that they are charged with protecting.

This case is ongoing.

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Summary Authors

Calvin OConnell (1/14/2026)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72058106/parties/institute-for-applied-ecology-v-burgum/

Attorney for Plaintiff

Bressler, Steven Y. (Oregon)

Henderson, Cortney Robinson (Oregon)

Moraga, Pablo (Oregon)

Sortun, Anna (Oregon)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Bressler, Steven Y. (Oregon)

Henderson, Cortney Robinson (Oregon)

Moraga, Pablo (Oregon)

Sortun, Anna (Oregon)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

	Document
1 6:25-cv-02364	Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief	Dec. 18, 2025	Dec. 18, 2025 Complaint
17 6:25-cv-02364	Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction and Supporting Memorandum	Dec. 23, 2025	Dec. 23, 2025 Pleading / Motion / Brief

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Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72058106/institute-for-applied-ecology-v-burgum/

Last updated Feb. 13, 2026, 12:14 a.m.

ECF Number	Description	Date	Link Date / Link
1	Complaint. for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief Filing fee in the amount of $405 collected. Agency Tracking ID: BORDC-10103544 Filer is subject to the requirements of Fed. R. Civ. P. 7.1. Jury Trial Requested: No. Filed by The Institute for Bird Populations, Institute for Applied Ecology, Mid Klamath Watershed Council against All Defendants. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)	Dec. 18, 2025	Dec. 18, 2025 Clearinghouse
2	Civil Cover Sheet regarding Complaint, 1 . Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)	Dec. 18, 2025	Dec. 18, 2025
3	Proposed Summons Bureau of Land Management Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)	Dec. 18, 2025	Dec. 18, 2025
4	Proposed Summons Doug Burgum Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)	Dec. 18, 2025	Dec. 18, 2025
5	Proposed Summons U.S. Department of the Interior Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)	Dec. 18, 2025	Dec. 18, 2025
6	Proposed Summons National Park Service Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)	Dec. 18, 2025	Dec. 18, 2025
7	Proposed Summons Bureau of Land Management Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)	Dec. 18, 2025	Dec. 18, 2025
8	Proposed Summons U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)	Dec. 18, 2025	Dec. 18, 2025
9	Proposed Summons U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)	Dec. 18, 2025	Dec. 18, 2025
10	Proposed Summons U.S. Geological Survey Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)	Dec. 18, 2025	Dec. 18, 2025
11	Proposed Summons U.S. Department of Justice Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)	Dec. 18, 2025	Dec. 18, 2025
12	Notice of Case Assignment to Magistrate Judge Amy E. Potter and Discovery and Pretrial Scheduling Order. NOTICE: The filing party shall print and serve this Order, the summonses, and all other documents issued by the Clerk at case initiation upon all named parties in accordance with Local Rule 3-5(c). Discovery is to be completed by 4/20/2026. Joint Alternate Dispute Resolution Report is due by 5/18/2026. Pretrial Order is due by 5/18/2026. Ordered by Magistrate Judge Amy E. Potter. (jw) (Entered: 12/19/2025)	Dec. 19, 2025	Dec. 19, 2025
13	Summons Issued Electronically as to All Defendants. NOTICE: The filing party shall print and serve the summonses and all other documents issued by the Clerk at the time of case initiation upon all named parties in accordance with Local Rule 3-5(c). (Attachments: # 1 Summons Doug Burgum, # 2 Summons National Park Service, # 3 Summons U.S. Geological Survey, # 4 Summons US Department Interior, # 5 Summons US Fish and Wildlife Services) (jw) (Entered: 12/19/2025)	Dec. 19, 2025	Dec. 19, 2025
14	Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Pro Hac Vice admission requested by attorney Steven Y. Bressler. Filing fee in the amount of $300 collected; Agency Tracking ID: AORDC-10106694. Steven Y. Bressler,Steven Y. Bressler for Institute for Bird Populations,Steven Y. Bressler for Institute for Applied Ecology,Steven Y. Bressler for Mid Klamath Watershed Council. Filed by on behalf of Institute for Bird Populations, Institute for Applied Ecology, Mid Klamath Watershed Council. (Bressler, Steven) (Entered: 12/22/2025)	Dec. 22, 2025	Dec. 22, 2025
15	Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Pro Hac Vice admission requested by attorney Cortney Robinson Henderson. Filing fee in the amount of $300 collected; Agency Tracking ID: AORDC-10106993. Filed by Institute for Applied Ecology, Institute for Bird Populations, Mid Klamath Watershed Council. (Henderson, Cortney) (Entered: 12/22/2025)	Dec. 22, 2025	Dec. 22, 2025
16	ORDER: Granting Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice 14 ; Granting Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice 15 . Ordered by Magistrate Judge Amy E. Potter. (ck) (Entered: 12/22/2025)	Dec. 22, 2025	Dec. 22, 2025
	Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice AND Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice	Dec. 22, 2025	Dec. 22, 2025
	Clerks Review of Pro Hac Vice Motion	Dec. 22, 2025	Dec. 22, 2025
	Clerk's Review of Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Pro Hac Vice admission requested by attorney Steven Y. Bressler. Filing fee in the amount of $300 collected; Agency Tracking ID: AORDC-10106694 14 : Reviewed and Ready for Ruling. (jw)	Dec. 22, 2025	Dec. 22, 2025
	Clerk's Review of Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Pro Hac Vice admission requested by attorney Cortney Robinson Henderson. Filing fee in the amount of $300 collected; Agency Tracking ID: AORDC-10106993 15 : Reviewed and Ready for Ruling. (jw)	Dec. 22, 2025	Dec. 22, 2025
17	Motion for Preliminary Injunction . Oral Argument requested. Filed by Institute for Applied Ecology, Institute for Bird Populations, Mid Klamath Watershed Council. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A) (Henderson, Cortney) (Entered: 12/23/2025)	Dec. 23, 2025	Dec. 23, 2025 Clearinghouse
18	Motion for Preliminary Injunction 17 is referred to Judge McShane. Ordered by Magistrate Judge Amy E. Potter. (ck) (Entered: 12/23/2025)	Dec. 23, 2025	Dec. 23, 2025
19	Declaration of T. Kaye in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction. Filed by Institute for Applied Ecology, Institute for Bird Populations, Mid Klamath Watershed Council. (Related document(s): Motion for Preliminary Injunction 17 .) (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G, # 8 Exhibit H) (Henderson, Cortney) (Entered: 12/23/2025)	Dec. 23, 2025	Dec. 23, 2025
20	Declaration of R. Siegel in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction. Filed by Institute for Applied Ecology, Institute for Bird Populations, Mid Klamath Watershed Council. (Related document(s): Motion for Preliminary Injunction 17 .) (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G) (Henderson, Cortney) (Entered: 12/23/2025)	Dec. 23, 2025	Dec. 23, 2025
21	Declaration of W. Harling in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction. Filed by Institute for Applied Ecology, Institute for Bird Populations, Mid Klamath Watershed Council. (Related document(s): Motion for Preliminary Injunction 17 .) (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G) (Henderson, Cortney) (Entered: 12/23/2025)	Dec. 23, 2025	Dec. 23, 2025
	Motion Referred to District Judge	Dec. 23, 2025	Dec. 23, 2025
22	Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Pro Hac Vice admission requested by attorney Pablo Moraga. Filing fee in the amount of $300 collected; Agency Tracking ID: AORDC-10114348. Filed by Institute for Applied Ecology, Institute for Bird Populations, Mid Klamath Watershed Council. (Moraga, Pablo) (Entered: 01/05/2026)	Jan. 5, 2026	Jan. 5, 2026
23	ORDER: Granting Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice 22 . Ordered by Magistrate Judge Amy E. Potter. (ck) (Entered: 01/06/2026)	Jan. 6, 2026	Jan. 6, 2026
	Clerk's Review of Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Pro Hac Vice admission requested by attorney Pablo Moraga. Filing fee in the amount of $300 collected; Agency Tracking ID: AORDC-10114348 22 : Reviewed and Ready for Ruling. (jw)	Jan. 6, 2026	Jan. 6, 2026
	Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice	Jan. 6, 2026	Jan. 6, 2026
	Clerks Review of Pro Hac Vice Motion	Jan. 6, 2026	Jan. 6, 2026
24	SCHEDULING ORDER regarding Motion for Preliminary Injunction 17 : Response is due by 1/30/2026. Reply is due by 2/13/2026. Oral Argument is set for 3/5/2026 at 02:00PM in Eugene by videoconference before Judge Michael J. McShane. Ordered by Judge Michael J. McShane. (ck) (Entered: 01/14/2026)	Jan. 14, 2026	Jan. 14, 2026
	1 - Scheduling	Jan. 14, 2026	Jan. 14, 2026
25	Response to Motion	Jan. 30, 2026	Jan. 30, 2026
26	Declaration	Jan. 30, 2026	Jan. 30, 2026
27	Declaration	Jan. 30, 2026	Jan. 30, 2026
28	Declaration	Jan. 30, 2026	Jan. 30, 2026
29	Declaration	Jan. 30, 2026	Jan. 30, 2026
30	Corporate Disclosure Statement	Feb. 2, 2026	Feb. 2, 2026
31	Notice of Implied Consent to Jurisdiction by a U.S. Magistrate Judge - FORM EVENT	Feb. 3, 2026	Feb. 3, 2026
32	Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice	Feb. 12, 2026	Feb. 12, 2026
	Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice	Feb. 12, 2026	Feb. 12, 2026
	Clerks Review of Pro Hac Vice Motion	Feb. 12, 2026	Feb. 12, 2026