The U.S. Supreme Court

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⚖️ First Trump case reaches SCOTUS

The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to let it fire the head of an independent watchdog agency that investigates federal workers' whistleblower reports, Axios' Rebecca Falconer writes.

• Why it matters: It's the first appeal to reach the high court from President Trump's push to overhaul the federal bureaucracy.

The case concerns the removal of Hampton Dellinger as head of the Office of Special Counsel. The Senate confirmed Dellinger in his role for a five-year term last March after he was nominated by then-President Biden.

• Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris said in the filing that a federal judge's order temporarily blocking Dellinger's dismissal marks an "unprecedented assault on the separation of powers."

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Supreme Court deals a severe blow to Holocaust survivors’ lawsuit against Hungary

WASHINGTON (AP) — A unanimous Supreme Court on Friday dealt a severe blow to Holocaust survivors and their families in a long-running lawsuit seeking compensation from Hungary for property confiscated during World War II.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-hungary-holocaust-survivors-lawsuit-19337a4b012a0b90ec3b43d8e59cf062?

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Supreme Court turns back challenges to laws keeping abortion opponents away from clinics, patients

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court refused Monday to hear a pair of cases from abortion opponents who say laws limiting anti-abortion demonstrations near clinics violate their First Amendment rights.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-buffer-zones-7979c3d747d7eab88f7e8b723397e768?

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Supreme Court orders new trial for Oklahoma death row inmate Richard Glossip

A fractured Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a new trial for Oklahoma death row inmate Richard Glossip, whose appeal drew national attention and support from the state’s conservative attorney general, in light of allegations that the state withheld evidence related to its main witness.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/25/politics/richard-glossip-supreme-court/index.html?

Supreme Court throws out Oklahoma inmate Richard Glossip’s murder conviction and death sentence

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday threw out the murder conviction and death penalty for Richard Glossip, an Oklahoma man who was found guilty in the killing of a motel owner but has steadfastly maintained his innocence and averted multiple attempts by the state to execute him.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-oklahoma-execution-glossip-f0a78b99cedfb7d774978a5b8b31aad9?

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Supreme Court seems likely to rule for Ohio woman claiming job bias because she’s straight

The outcome of the case could remove an additional requirement that some courts apply when members of a majority group, including those who are white and heterosexual, sue for discrimination under federal law. Read More.   Chief Justice John Roberts pauses order for Trump admin to pay $2 billion in foreign aid by midnight Chief Justice John Roberts on Wednesday paused a court-imposed midnight deadline that would have required the Trump administration to release $2 billion in frozen foreign aid, a goal that the government has claimed it is unable to meet. https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/26/politics/supreme-court-foreign-aid-state-usaid/index.html?

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Supreme Court won't hear a challenge to college programs for reporting bias allegations

The Supreme Court said Monday it won’t hear a challenge from conservative college students who say their freedom of speech is violated by a university program for reporting allegations of bias. Read More.

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Supreme Court seems likely to block Mexico’s $10 billion lawsuit against US gun makers

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court seemed likely Tuesday to block a $10 billion lawsuit Mexico filed against top firearm manufacturers in the U.S. alleging the companies have fueled cartel gun violence.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-mexico-guns-sandy-hook-4a3b726ffd7aabf4eee5d0225dd51769?

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Supreme Court rejects Trump’s request to keep billions in foreign aid frozen

A divided Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the Trump administration’s request to keep billions of dollars in foreign aid approved by Congress frozen.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/05/politics/supreme-court-usaid-foreign-aid?

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Divided Supreme Court reinstates order requiring Trump administration to release frozen foreign aid

A sharply divided Supreme Court on Wednesday reinstated a lower-court order for the Trump administration to release frozen foreign aid, but it was not clear how quickly money would start flowing. Read More.   Government cuts A pair of rulings has exposed deep divisions on the Supreme Court about just how much power the federal judiciary has to prevent President Trump from carrying out some of his plans. The high court on Wednesday rejected President Trump's request to keep billions in foreign aid approved by Congress frozen. Separately, a federal appeals court allowed the president to remove the head of a government watchdog agency while a legal challenge to his firing plays out. Exactly how far the Supreme Court will go toward backstopping lower courts will be critical as judges weigh the president's moves to fire the leaders of independent agencies and freeze spending, among other things.

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The Secret Supreme Court Lobbyists Who Want To Stay Hidden

Does the public have a right to know who exactly is paying to lobby judges to deliver favorable rulings? A committee in charge of federal judiciary rules recently said yes, but some of the most powerful corporate and conservative forces in Washington are now saying hell no — and trying to keep the information secret. 

https://www.levernews.com/the-secret-supreme-court-lobbyists-who-want-to-stay-hidden/?

 

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Supreme Court seems in no hurry to rule on Trump plea to rein in judges over birthright citizenship

The Supreme Court seems to be in no hurry to address an issue that has irritated Republican and Democratic administrations alike: the ability of a single judge to block a nationwide policy. While several justices have expressed concern about the use of so-called nationwide — or universal — injunctions, the high court has sidestepped multiple requests to do something about them. Read More.

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Supreme Court declines Steve Wynn’s bid to loosen libel standard

The Supreme Court on Monday turned away casino mogul Steve Wynn’s bid for the court to consider overturning its 61-year-old precedent that has protected journalists from libel lawsuits. 

https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5210452-supreme-court-steve-wynn-libel/

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Supreme Court upholds "ghost gun" regulations

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld regulations on "ghost guns" — a rare but narrow victory for gun-control advocates.

https://www.axios.com/2025/03/26/supreme-court-ghost-guns?

Supreme Court upholds rules requiring background checks for ‘ghost guns’

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld Biden-era federal regulations on “ghost guns,” mail-order kits that allow people to build untraceable weapons at home – handing gun control groups a rare win at the conservative high court.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/26/politics/ghost-guns-supreme-court?

Supreme Court upholds Biden rule requiring serial numbers, background checks for ghost guns

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a Biden administration regulation on the nearly impossible-to-trace weapons called ghost guns, clearing the way for continued serial numbers, background checks and age verification requirements to buy them in kits online. Read More.

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Trump takes Venezuelan deportation case to Supreme Court

The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court to allow it to resume use of the Aliens Enemies Act to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador.

https://www.axios.com/2025/03/28/trump-supreme-court-venezuelan-deportations?

Planned Parenthood Medicaid funding case before the Supreme Court could limit patients’ choices

U.S. Supreme Court justices will hear arguments Wednesday about whether South Carolina can remove Planned Parenthood clinics from the state’s Medicaid program because they offer abortions in a case that could imperil health care options for patients with low incomes.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/03/29/repub/planned-parenthood-medicaid-funding-case-before-the-supreme-court-could-limit-patients-choices/?

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Supreme Court seems likely to side with Catholic Charities in religious-rights case

In a case that could have wide-ranging effects, the justices suggested the Catholic Charities Bureau should not have to pay unemployment taxes because the work of the social services agency is motivated by religious beliefs, and the state exempts religious groups from the tax. Read More.

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Supreme Court sides with the FDA in its dispute over sweet-flavored vaping products

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids says the Supreme Court's ruling for the Food and Drug Administration in its crackdown on sweet-flavored vaping products is “a major victory for the health of America’s kids.” But the justices’ unanimous decision is not the final word in the case. Read More.

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Supreme Court pauses order requiring deported Maryland man be returned to U.S.

The Supreme Court on Monday temporarily paused a federal judge's midnight deadline to return a Salvadorian national who was mistakenly deported while the justices weigh the case.

https://www.axios.com/2025/04/07/supreme-court-wrongfully-deported-el-salvador?

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Supreme Court rejects challenge to New York gun law

The Supreme Court on Monday turned away a challenge to recently enacted gun restrictions in New York, sidestepping a new case on the right to bear arms.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna199373

Supreme Court backs Trump for now on fired probationary federal employees

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to keep several thousand probationary federal employees it is attempting to fire off the payroll while lower courts weigh whether the downsizing efforts are legal, the latest in a series of wins for the White House at the conservative high court.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/08/politics/probationary-fired-employees-supreme-court-trump?

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Supreme Court allows Trump’s firings of independent agency board members to take effect, for now The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the Trump administration to oust two board members who oversee independent agencies, for now. The action seems to signal the court’s support for Trump’s effort to remove limits on his power to hire and fire. Read more.

Why this matters: Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who handles emergency appeals from the nation’s capital, signed an order pausing a ruling from the federal appeals court in Washington that had temporarily restored the two women to their jobs. It’s not clear why Roberts would have paused the appellate ruling unless he and his colleagues believe it was likely wrong.   The immediate issue confronting the justices is whether the board members, both initially appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden, can stay in their jobs while the larger fight continues over what to do with a 90-year-old Supreme Court decision known as Humphrey’s Executor. In that case from 1935, the court unanimously held that presidents cannot fire independent board members without cause.   The ruling has long rankled conservative legal theorists, who argue it wrongly curtails the president’s power. Roberts was part of the current conservative majority on the Supreme Court that already narrowed its reach in a 2020 decision. Soon the top court could narrow it further or jettison it altogether.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Appeals court clears the way for the Trump administration to fire thousands of probationary workers   FDA reverses course on telework after layoffs and resignations threaten basic operations   Interior Department staff, including those at national parks, offered buyouts and early retirement

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?️ SCOTUS sides with deported migrant

Jennifer Vasquez Sura, the wife of deported migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, speaks at a press conference in Maryland last week. Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AP The Supreme Court ruled last night, with no noted dissents, that the Trump administration must take steps to return a Maryland resident who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, Axios' Sareen Habeshian writes. The Trump administration fought a lower court order to bring back Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadorian national, arguing the judge's order imposes on the president's foreign policy powers. The government accused Abrego Garcia, who was legally living in Maryland, of being a member of MS-13, even though he has not been convicted of gang-related crimes. Abrego Garcia's lawyers argued in their response Monday evening that there is no credible reason for the U.S. to withhold his return, as it was the government's error that led to his deportation. Keep reading. Deportations The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the Trump administration must “facilitate” the return of a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador. However, the court did not say the administration was required to return Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia to the US nor did it give a deadline for his return. Abrego Garcia was deported on March 15 and is being held in the notorious Cecot mega-prison even though an immigration judge barred his deportation years ago over concerns about his safety in his native country. The Trump administration has conceded in court filings that the sheet metal worker and father of three was deported due to "an administrative error,” but claims it cannot get him back because he’s in Salvadoran custody.

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Supreme Court says Trump administration must work to bring back mistakenly deported Maryland man The Supreme Court on Thursday said the Trump administration must work to bring back a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to a prison in El Salvador, rejecting the administration’s emergency appeal. Read more.

Why this matters: The court acted in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen who had an immigration court order preventing his deportation to his native country over fears he would face persecution from local gangs. “The order properly requires the Government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador,” the court said in an unsigned order with no noted dissents.   The administration claims Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang, though he has never been charged with or convicted of a crime. His attorneys said there is no evidence he was in MS-13. The administration has conceded that it made a mistake in sending him to El Salvador, but argued it no longer could do anything about it.   “The Government’s argument, moreover, implies that it could deport and incarcerate any person, including U.S. citizens, without legal consequence, so long as it does so before a court can intervene,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, joined by her two colleagues.

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Exxon asks SCOTUS to do its dirty work. Tomorrow, the U.S. Supreme Court will debate whether to hear arguments in a legal push by oil giant ExxonMobil to end Americans’  longstanding right to bring environmental lawsuits. Exxon has recruited over two dozen Republican attorneys general to pressure the high court to overturn a 25-year-old ruling empowering private citizens to sue polluters. This comes as the oil giant looks to avoid paying out the largest settlement ever in a citizen-initiated Clean Air Act lawsuit.

• Republican attorneys general are backing Exxon after the company poured $400,000 into the Republican Attorneys General Association over the last 5 years. 

So much for free speech. In a brief filed with the Supreme Court last week, Exxon and a coalition of GOP attorneys general encouraged the court to rule in favor of the oil and gas industry, which want the court to overturn a 2000 precedent that they insist gives excessive power to “unelected and unchecked citizen plaintiffs” and undermines states’ rights.

It’s all about the Benjamins. Exxon is trying to get out of paying a $14.25 million fine levied against it for major environmental law violations at one of its Texas chemical plants. Last December, the archconservative Fifth Circuit court upheld a previous 2021 ruling which found the oil giant committed over 16,000 Clean Air Act violations at its Baytown plant, which sits just 25 miles outside Houston — America’s fourth most populated city. Since the 2000 Laidlaw ruling, Exxon has shelled out more than $500 million to settle citizen-initiated environmental lawsuits.

This petro-state isn’t big enough for the two of us. Signatories on the Exxon-backed brief looking to shield the company from having to compensate Texans include Texas’ own Attorney General Ken Paxton, who’s currently gearing up to primary Sen. John Cornyn. Exxon has been looking to expand its taxpayer-subsidized Baytown facilities amid a local backlash — and new data about elevated cancer rates near Texas’ refineries.

Big Oil’s down-ballot battle is paying off. As GOP-led state governments collude with Exxon to destroy longstanding federal climate precedent, a recent report from the group Climate Power found the oil and gas industry spent nearly $450 million trying to influence last year’s elections — including by donating more than $25 million to Republicans in down-ballot races for states’ legislatures and governors’ mansions.

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Supreme Court to hear arguments in May in challenge to Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear oral arguments over President Donald Trump’s request to enforce a plan to end birthright citizenship against all but a handful of individuals, though it deferred a request from the administration that would have allowed it to implement its plan immediately.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/17/politics/supreme-court-birthright-citizenship?

Supreme showdown

Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The Supreme Court today agreed to decide whether Trump has the power to eliminate birthright citizenship. It'll be the first full-fledged Supreme Court referendum on the constitutional merits of a signature Trump policy — and it's one he's likely to lose, Axios' Sam Baker writes. ⚖️ Every lower court to consider the issue has ruled against Trump. Multiple judges have blocked his executive order on birthright citizenship from taking effect — and the high court said today it will leave the policy frozen while it considers the big-picture constitutional questions. Oral arguments are set for May 15. ⚡️ Related: A federal appeals court lambasted the Trump administration today for its refusal to bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia back from El Salvador. The administration has argued that there's nothing it can do to comply with courts' orders in Abrego Garcia's case. "This should be shocking not only to judges, but to the intuitive sense of liberty that Americans far removed from courthouses still hold dear," a panel of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals wrote.

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Supreme Court temporarily pauses deportations under Alien Enemies Act

The Supreme Court early Saturday morning paused the deportation of immigrants potentially subject to the Alien Enemies Act, freezing action in a fast-developing case involving a group of immigrants in Texas who say the Trump administration was working to remove them.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/18/politics/boasberg-deportation-flights-alien-enemies-act?

US supreme court orders temporary halt to deportations of Venezuelan men

Order is latest example of the courts challenging the Trump administration’s overhaul of the immigration system

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/18/supreme-court-aclu-venezuela?

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Supreme Court takes up religious rights dispute over LGBTQ books in Maryland schools

The Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Tuesday signaled support for the religious rights of parents in Maryland who want to remove their children from elementary school classes using storybooks with LGBTQ characters. Read More.