The Supreme Court issued three major rulings on June 30, impacting immigration, sports, and presidential authority. The court struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting birthright citizenship for children of noncitizens, affirming the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause. The justices ruled 6-3 that the babies of illegal immigrants and temporary visitors are entitled to citizenship. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, rejected Trump’s argument that the amendment’s focus on 'jurisdiction' required parental allegiance. Some conservative justices dissented, while Trump urged Congress to end birthright citizenship legislatively.
In a separate ruling, the court upheld West Virginia and Idaho laws banning transgender girls and women from participating in girls’ and women’s sports. The 6-3 decision, authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, concluded that the Equal Protection Clause allows states to maintain separate teams based on biological sex. Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, arguing the court should have examined whether transgender athletes have an unfair competitive advantage.
The court also ruled on Trump’s executive power, granting presidents broad authority to fire Senate-confirmed leaders at independent agencies under the 'unitary executive' theory. However, the justices carved out an exception for the Federal Reserve, allowing Governor Lisa Cook to retain her position.
The rulings reflect a conservative-leaning court that sometimes rebuffs Trump’s agenda, particularly on executive overreach. The decisions have sparked debate over immigration policy, transgender rights, and presidential authority.