Not a lawyer here obviously but this always strikes me as arbitrary and total overreach. What should I read that would explain why they have such broad powers?

Nothing can help make sense of this. They’re operating under rules they make up, as they go along.

I honestly don't know what to tell you. This case is a perfect example: it's a temporary restraining order ("TRO"). The standard for those is *incredibly* high, higher than a preliminary injunction, it's an emergency procedure. And that's before we even get to the merits.

The judiciary gave it to themselves and Congress and the administration have been too feckless to do anything about it