The American Bar Association House of Delegates adopted almost 30 policy matters on a wide variety of issues including judicial independence and safety, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, the independence of the Department of Justice, Medicaid funding, immigration law enforcement, and the use of National Guard and military forces in U.S. cities when it met during the 2026 ABA Midyear Meeting.

The ABA House of Delegates, the association's policymaking body, convened Feb. 9 at the 2026 Midyear Meeting in San Antonio.

American Bar Association photo

The policy-making body passed Resolution 200, which opposes threats and acts of violence, harassment, and intimidation directed at federal, state, local, administrative, tribal and territorial judges, court personnel and their families. It also encourages bar associations, law schools and civic organizations to promote public understanding of the role of an independent judiciary and to respond to attacks that threaten judicial independence and safety. The resolution urges all members of the legal profession, officials and the media to refrain from rhetoric or actions that threaten or incite violence against the judiciary and urges parties who disagree with any court decision to follow the applicable appellate process.

Several policies addressing recent government actions were passed. These included:

• Resolution 510, which urges the president and all executive branch officials to safeguard the independence of the U.S. Department of Justice by ensuring that investigative and prosecutorial decisions are free from political influence. It also calls on federal, state and local officials to reaffirm that prosecutorial decisions are made free from partisan, political or personal influence and encourages all jurisdictions to adopt formal policies that explicitly prohibit initiating, directing or restraining prosecutions for political purposes.
• Resolution 506, which urges the federal government to address domestic issues through local and civilian law enforcement agencies rather than military options. The resolution also urges that the use of the federalized National Guard or similar forces be restricted to exceptional circumstances and that policing duties be carried out only by personnel properly trained in relevant law enforcement responsibilities.
• Resolution 509, which urges state and local governments to take appropriate measures, including providing training and resources to enable and encourage prosecutors and law enforcement officers to exercise their prosecutorial discretion to investigate and, where probable cause exists, prosecute federal officials who violate applicable state laws while acting outside the legitimate and reasonable scope of their federal authority.

The House also passed two policies addressing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Resolution 504 urges the Executive Branch and loan servicers to resume accepting and processing student loan forgiveness applications, periodic employment and income recertifications, and repayment plan change requests for all borrowers engaged in eligible government and public sector employment. Resolution 505 supports a series of positions addressing past, present and future challenges to the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, allowing the association to advocate and lobby for the program even if there are new rule changes.