Supreme Court Limits Federal Judges’ Power in Historic 6-3 Decision
In a landmark ruling on Friday, the Supreme Court limited federal judges from issuing universal injunctions, which had been used to block President Donald Trump from implementing his executive order ending birthright citizenship. The 6-3 decision represents a significant victory for the Trump administration and fundamentally alters how federal courts can challenge executive power.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett, one of three Trump appointees on the bench, wrote for the majority, stating that universal injunctions likely exceed the authority Congress has given to federal courts. The ruling clears the way for Trump to advance controversial policies while legal challenges proceed through the court system.
Trump Administration Scores Multiple Supreme Court Victories
The birthright citizenship ruling is part of a broader pattern of Supreme Court support for Trump’s agenda. The justices have ruled in favor of the administration in 10 of the 12 decided cases, covering consequential matters including federal workforce reductions, agency shutdowns, and deportation policies.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court cleared the way on Monday for President Donald Trump’s administration to resume deporting migrants to countries other than their own without offering them a chance to show the harms they could face. This decision removes procedural protections that had required meaningful opportunity for migrants to demonstrate potential dangers they might face in third countries.
Birthright Citizenship Battle Continues Despite Procedural Win
While Trump celebrated the Supreme Court’s limitation on nationwide injunctions, the justices notably declined to rule on the constitutional merits of ending birthright citizenship itself. The court declined to rule on whether the executive order, which would end centuries of birthright citizenship in the United States, was constitutional.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued a scathing dissent, warning that “No right is safe in the new legal regime the Court creates” and describing the majority’s decision as permitting judicial “gamesmanship” by the Trump administration.
Immigration Enforcement Gets Supreme Court Backing
Beyond birthright citizenship, Trump has secured crucial Supreme Court support for his immigration enforcement priorities. Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on X that the court’s decision was a “MAJOR win for the safety and security of the American people” regarding third-country deportations.
The Court has also allowed the Trump administration to continue rapid deportations under the Alien Enemies Act and permitted the Pentagon to enforce a ban on transgender service members, demonstrating broad judicial support for the administration’s policy agenda.
Legal Implications and Future Cases
The Supreme Court’s restriction on nationwide injunctions represents a fundamental shift in federal judicial power. Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on social media following the opinion’s release: “Today, the Supreme Court instructed district courts to STOP the endless barrage of nationwide injunctions against President Trump”.
This procedural change will likely make it significantly easier for the Trump administration to implement controversial executive orders while constitutional challenges work their way through the courts. The ruling affects not just current policies but establishes precedent that could impact future administrations’ ability to act unilaterally on major policy changes.
The Supreme Court’s consistent support for Trump’s legal positions signals a judiciary increasingly aligned with executive power, potentially reshaping the balance between federal branches of government for years to come.