Clarence Thomas

The Supreme Court concludes its term, with increased ideological division in decisions noted by SCOTUSblog. The article highlights the gradual pace of constitutional law changes and the media's focus on the Court's impact on American citizens.

The Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, rejecting President Donald Trump's executive order to end it. Lawmakers split along party lines, with Republicans criticizing the ruling and some Democrats supporting it. The 6-3 decision included dissents from Justices Thomas, Gorsuch, and Alito, who argued the 14th Amendment does not apply to children of unlawful immigrants.

Ketanji Brown Jackson invoked the 'dark stain of slavery' in a sharp rebuke of Clarence Thomas during a Supreme Court session. The exchange highlighted tensions between the justices.

The 2025-26 Supreme Court term showed increased ideological division, with 28.8% of decisions split 6-3 along ideological lines, compared to 15.2% the previous term. The final week included deviations from the usual 6-3 pattern, including Trump v. Barbara, where all three liberal justices joined the majority. Other cases like West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Trump v. Slaughter followed predictable ideological splits.

The Supreme Court released three final opinions for the 2025-26 term, including striking down an executive order on birthright citizenship in Trump v. Barbara, upholding Title IX policies on sports teams in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, and ruling against campaign spending restrictions in National Republican Senatorial Committee v. FEC. The decisions involved multiple justices with varying concurrences and dissents.

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson criticized Justice Clarence Thomas for his dissent in a decision upholding birthright citizenship. Jackson argued Thomas applied a 'narrow vision' of the 14th Amendment and questioned his 'colorblind' Constitution stance.

Norman Wong, great-grandson of Wong Kim Ark, praised the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision upholding birthright citizenship under the Fourteenth Amendment, rejecting President Donald Trump's executive order restricting citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. The ruling reaffirmed the 1898 precedent established by Wong Kim Ark's case, which secured U.S. citizenship for those born domestically regardless of parental status.

The great-grandson of Wong Kim Ark, Norman Wong, praised the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision upholding birthright citizenship, rejecting President Trump's executive order. The ruling reaffirmed the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of citizenship for anyone born in the U.S., with Chief Justice John Roberts leading the majority. Trump criticized the decision, while dissenting justices argued the amendment was misinterpreted.

The Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship in a 6-3 ruling, blocking an executive order from President Donald Trump that sought to deny citizenship to children born to parents in the U.S. illegally or on temporary visas. The decision affirmed the 14th Amendment's guarantee of citizenship to nearly all U.S.-born children, with dissenting justices including Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that children born in the U.S. are citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment regardless of their parents' immigration status. The decision rejected President Donald Trump's executive order denying citizenship to children of undocumented or temporary residents, highlighting divisions among justices, including contrasting views between Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Clarence Thomas.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that children born in the U.S. are citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment regardless of their parents' immigration status, rejecting an executive order by President Donald Trump. The decision highlighted divisions among justices, including differing views between two Black justices and sharp disagreements over historical interpretations of the Citizenship Clause.

The Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s executive order banning birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants and some temporary visitors, ruling it unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment. The 6-3 decision reaffirmed that the 14th Amendment automatically grants citizenship to anyone born in the U.S., with Chief Justice John Roberts emphasizing the Framers’ intent. Three conservative justices and President Trump disputed the ruling, arguing the Amendment was intended only for freed black slaves.

The Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s Executive Order banning birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants and temporary visitors, ruling it unconstitutional. The 6-3 decision reaffirmed that birthright citizenship is enshrined in the 14th Amendment, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing the majority opinion. Three conservative justices dissented, arguing the 14th Amendment only applied to freed black slaves.

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Trump’s Executive Order banning birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants and some temporary visitors was unconstitutional, reaffirming that birthright citizenship is protected by the 14th Amendment. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, while Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil M. Gorsuch, and Samuel Alito dissented, arguing the 14th Amendment applied only to freed black slaves.

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Donald J. Trump exceeded his authority by attempting to end birthright citizenship via executive order, upholding the 14th Amendment. The majority opinion, led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, emphasized the constitutional right to citizenship, while dissenting justices argued the ruling expanded citizenship to include children of 'birth tourists.' Immigrant advocates highlighted the decision's importance for protecting children's rights and access to healthcare.

The Supreme Court has agreed to review the constitutionality of bans on semiautomatic rifles like the AR-15, taking up cases from Illinois and Connecticut. The decision follows recent rulings on gun rights and includes challenges to local laws that prohibit possession of such firearms, with justices acknowledging prior divisions on the issue.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, rejecting President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to redefine the constitutional right. A majority of justices, led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, ruled the order violated the 14th Amendment. Six justices agreed with the majority, while three dissented, with some arguing Congress could legislate exceptions to birthright citizenship.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, rejecting President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to redefine the constitutional right. A majority of justices, led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, ruled the order violated the 14th Amendment, while conservative justices dissented. Trump urged Congress to codify his policy, but the decision emphasized that any change to birthright citizenship would require a constitutional amendment.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, rejecting President Donald Trump’s executive order that aimed to redefine the constitutional right. A majority of justices found the order violated the 14th Amendment, while three conservative justices dissented. Trump attended the oral arguments, and the decision marks a setback for his immigration agenda.

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to Cook County’s assault weapons ban, which prohibits possession of firearms like AR-15s. The case, consolidated with a similar challenge from Connecticut, will determine whether the Second and Fourteenth Amendments guarantee the right to own such rifles. The decision follows the 2022 Bruen ruling, which established a framework for evaluating gun laws based on historical tradition of firearm regulation.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, rejecting President Donald Trump’s executive order to redefine constitutional rights. A majority of justices, led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., ruled the order violated the 14th Amendment, while three conservative justices dissented. Trump called on Congress to codify his proposal into law.

The Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, rejecting President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to exclude children of undocumented immigrants and temporary visitors from citizenship. The ruling relied on the 14th Amendment and recent federal laws, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing the majority opinion. Three conservative justices, including Clarence Thomas, dissented, arguing the order should be allowed to take effect.

The Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s birthright citizenship restrictions, ruling the policy unconstitutional. The majority, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, included three liberal justices and conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, while Justice Clarence Thomas dissented.

The Supreme Court announced its final four cases for the term, including Trump v. Barbara (birthright citizenship) and cases on transgender athletes and campaign finance. On Monday, the court issued rulings in four cases, including decisions on the FTC’s for-cause removal provision, the removal of a Federal Reserve Governor, mail-in ballot deadlines, and cellphone location privacy. Additional cases were added to the 2026-27 term docket.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor received $4,333 in Bad Bunny concert tickets from Rimas Entertainment during a 2025 trip to Puerto Rico, while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson received a $2,500 painting for her chambers. Financial disclosures revealed teaching earnings, book royalties, and travel details for multiple justices in 2025.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor received $4,333 in concert tickets from Rimas Entertainment, Bad Bunny's label, during a trip to Puerto Rico. Justices reported book royalties and teaching income, including $1.81 million for Ketanji Brown Jackson and $33,285 for Brett Kavanaugh. The disclosures highlight increased scrutiny of justices' financial activities and ethical practices.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that law enforcement requires warrants to access cellphone location history data under the Fourth Amendment. The decision centered on a 2019 Virginia credit union robbery case, where police obtained location data from a third-party tech company. The ruling leaves unresolved when such searches are deemed reasonable, with civil liberties advocates and states debating the implications of geofence warrants.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was seen on Capitol Hill as the court released opinions before its summer recess. He was accompanied by a Metropolitan Police Department officer and another man while walking through the House side of the Capitol, where he spoke to MS NOW’s Mychael.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that states can count mail-in ballots arriving after Election Day, rejecting arguments from the Trump administration and Republican states. The decision, in RNC vs. Watson, upheld Mississippi's law allowing ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if received within five business days, with thirteen states having similar grace periods.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that law enforcement requires warrants to access cellphone location history data under the Fourth Amendment, citing privacy rights. The 6-3 decision centered on a Virginia bank robbery case, with Justice Elena Kagan writing the majority opinion. The ruling left unresolved questions about the reasonableness of geofence warrants, which allow police to track phones in specific geographic areas.

Supreme Court financial disclosure forms reveal Justice Sonia Sotomayor received $4,333 in concert tickets from Rimas Entertainment during a trip to Puerto Rico, while other justices disclosed book royalties and teaching income. The forms highlight ongoing scrutiny of justices' off-bench activities, including Justice Clarence Thomas's unreported luxury travel and book deals generating over $1 million for Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Amy Coney Barrett.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that police need warrants to access cellphone location history data under the Fourth Amendment. The 6-3 decision centered on a 2019 Virginia credit union robbery case, with Justice Elena Kagan writing that individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy in their cellphone location records. The ruling leaves unresolved questions about when such searches are considered reasonable.

The US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that President Donald Trump cannot fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook while she contests mortgage fraud allegations, but also ruled 6-3 to make it easier to fire members of other independent agencies by overturning Humphrey’s Executor. The majority stated Congress must determine the Federal Reserve's treatment, and the dissenters included Justices Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, and Barrett.

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to prevent President Donald Trump from firing Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve Board member, citing that his action would undermine the Fed's independence. The majority opinion emphasized that the president can only remove board members 'for cause,' while the dissent argued the ruling overstepped constitutional precedent. Trump alleged Cook committed mortgage fraud, which she denied.

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Mississippi can count absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day but received up to five days later, overturning a federal appeals court decision. The majority opinion, authored by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, held that federal election-day statutes do not require ballots to be received by Election Day. The dissent, led by Justice Samuel Alito, opposed the decision, which follows a challenge to Mississippi’s voting laws by President Donald Trump’s administration.

The Supreme Court refused to revive Alan Dershowitz's $300 million defamation lawsuit against CNN over coverage of his remarks during President Donald Trump's 2020 impeachment. Lower courts dismissed the case, finding Dershowitz failed to prove CNN acted with 'actual malice' under the New York Times Co. v. Sullivan standard. Justices Gorsuch and Thomas dissented, urging a reevaluation of defamation standards for public figures.

The Supreme Court's 6-3 decision in Mullin v. Al Otro Lado ruled that U.S. immigration officers can block asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexican border by metering access to ports of entry, effectively denying them the right to apply for asylum. The policy, implemented in 2016 and expanded in 2017, involved Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers preventing asylum seekers from entering the U.S. until processing capacity allows, leaving many stranded in Mexico. The Court held that asylum protections under U.S. law and international treaties do not apply to individuals physically outside the U.S. at the border threshold.

In Hunter v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that appeal waivers in federal criminal plea bargains are unenforceable if they result in a 'miscarriage of justice.' The case involved Munson Hunter III, who waived his right to appeal but argued that a court-ordered medication condition during supervised release violated his constitutional rights.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the Trump administration can end temporary protected status (TPS) for immigrants from Haiti and Syria, stating federal law bars judicial review of TPS decisions and dismissing claims of racial discrimination. The court upheld the administration's termination of TPS for Haiti, citing national security concerns, while advocates argued the move was arbitrary and discriminatory.

The court released five rulings, including Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned abortion rights, and decisions in cases involving the Alien Tort Statute, Helms-Burton Act, Religious Land Use Act, tax sales compensation, and immigration law. Opinions were split in several cases, with majority and dissenting opinions authored by various justices.