Supreme Court Poised to Rule on Trump’s Attack on Birthright Citizenship and More

The Supreme Court’s latest term is wrapping up, but the decisions it’s about to drop will have lasting consequences—especially for those fighting to hold the Trump administration accountable for its corrosive assaults on constitutional rights.

At the heart of the docket is Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship, a 127-year-old precedent grounded in the 14th Amendment. On his first day back in office, Trump signed an executive order aiming to strip citizenship from children born in the U.S. to parents here temporarily or illegally. This move, unprecedented for a sitting president to argue before the court, threatens to roll back a fundamental protection that has long defined American identity and legal status.

The justices must interpret the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” in the Constitution’s citizenship clause. The administration insists it excludes children of non-permanent residents, but early questioning revealed skepticism about overturning the landmark 1898 Wong Kim Ark ruling that firmly established birthright citizenship. A ruling siding with Trump would rewrite constitutional law and upend the lives of countless families.

Beyond citizenship, the court is weighing cases that expose its ideological divides on civil rights and religious freedom. In two cases involving bans on transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports, justices appear ready to uphold discriminatory state laws championed by Trump and his allies. The arguments reveal a court willing to curtail protections for marginalized groups under the guise of preserving women’s sports, ignoring evidence of the harms inflicted on transgender youth.

Meanwhile, a religious liberty case testing whether a prisoner can sue for damages after having his dreadlocks forcibly cut is facing pushback from the court. Despite acknowledging the violation of Landor’s faith, justices questioned whether federal laws like RLUIPA allow monetary claims against states. This signals a reluctance to hold authorities accountable for religious discrimination in prisons.

These cases are not isolated. They fit a broader pattern of the Supreme Court enabling the Trump administration’s agenda to erode democratic norms, civil rights, and constitutional protections. The court’s upcoming rulings will shape the legal landscape for years to come—either reinforcing the rights of vulnerable Americans or cementing a new era of authoritarian overreach.

Stay tuned as Only Clowns Are Orange continues to track these developments and hold power accountable. The fight for democracy and justice is far from over.