Technical Glitch on Government Website Removes "Habeas Corpus" from US Constitution, Clause Opposed by Trump

In a controversial move, the "Habeas Corpus" clause disappeared from the electronic version of the US Constitution on the Library of Congress website, a section strongly opposed by former President Donald Trump. This constitutional provision guarantees individuals the legal right to challenge their detention, requiring the government to provide legal justifications for any imprisonment. This deletion, later described as a "technical glitch," comes at a time when Trump's attempts to control the national library are escalating.

Habeas Corpus, a Latin phrase meaning "that you have the body," is a legal writ that compels law enforcement authorities to bring any detained person before a court and provide legal reasons justifying their continued detention. This right, guaranteed by Article One of the Constitution, is a fundamental safeguard against arbitrary and unlawful detention by the authorities.

Background to the Controversy: The Trump Administration's Views on "Habeas Corpus"

Stephen Miller, former Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House, had openly suggested suspending "Habeas Corpus" to support the President's efforts to arrest and deport immigrants. In May, Miller stated: "Habeas Corpus can be suspended in times of invasion, and this is an option we are seriously considering." In an attempt to justify mass deportation policies, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed that "Habeas Corpus is a constitutional right the President has to remove people from this country," a definition completely contrary to the purpose of this right. When Trump was asked earlier this month about his commitment to upholding the Constitution, he replied: "I don't know."

Disappearance of Constitutional Clause and "Technical Glitch" Explanation

Over the past few weeks, the Ninth Clause of Article One of the U.S. Constitution – which states that "the privilege of the writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it" – disappeared from the Annotated Constitution page on the Library of Congress website.

By this morning, Trump administration officials quietly informed staff that the deletions were the result of a "technical glitch," according to informed sources. Staff quickly moved to fix the issue, investigate its cause, and review other parts of the site to ensure no other deletions had occurred.

The "glitch" explanation raised suspicions among some federal employees, especially since the deletion specifically targeted the section of the Constitution that the Trump administration is openly undermining. A federal employee familiar with the situation commented sarcastically: "What a funny coincidence."

The Library of Congress announced via platform X this morning that the deletion was due to a "coding error." The Library wrote: "It has come to our attention that some sections of Article I are missing from the Annotated Constitution website. We have learned that this is due to a coding error. We are working to correct this and anticipate it will be resolved soon."

The website also added a banner stating: "The Annotated Constitution website is currently experiencing data issues. We are working to resolve this and apologize for the inconvenience."

Restoration of Constitutional Clause and Aftermath of the Incident

By midday, the deleted sections of the Constitution were restored to the webpage. In an email to Rolling Stone, the Library of Congress stated: "Due to a technical error, some sections of Article I were temporarily missing from the Annotated Constitution website. This issue has been corrected, and the missing sections have been restored."

It is worth noting that merely deleting parts of the U.S. Constitution from a webpage does not change U.S. law, especially since the institution is not the official guardian of the Constitution. However, regardless of what the document states, the President and his senior officials have made clear their intention to violate the Constitution as much as possible.

Trump's Bid to Control the Library of Congress

This amendment to the Constitution's website comes at a time when Trump is seeking to control the Library of Congress, despite it technically being part of the legislative branch. The Library serves as the research arm of Congress, holding the world's largest collection of books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, and recordings.

In May, Trump announced the dismissal of Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, before the end of her 10-year term, appointing Todd Blanche, a former personal lawyer to Trump and former Deputy Attorney General, in her place. After a judge refused to block Hayden's termination, she filed an appeal last week with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.