US Supreme Court Limits Lower Courts fom Blocking Executive Orders
The US Supreme Court has delivered a significant victory to President Donald Trump, limiting the authority of federal judges to block executive actions nationwide.
In a 6-3 ruling, the court determined that nationwide injunctions issued by district court judges likely exceed the authority granted to federal courts by Congress.
The decision stems from Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship, which grants automatic citizenship to children born on American soil. While the court didn’t rule on the constitutionality of Trump’s executive order, the decision will remove a significant obstacle to his policies and reaffirm the White House’s power.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett, author of the opinion, stated that federal courts don’t exercise general oversight of the Executive Branch and should resolve cases within the authority Congress has given them.
She added that when a court concludes the Executive Branch has acted unlawfully, the answer isn’t for the court to exceed its power.
The ruling has far-reaching implications for the judiciary’s ability to rein in Trump or future presidents. Justice Samuel Alito noted that nationwide injunctions pose a practical problem, with hundreds of district court judges potentially issuing conflicting rulings.
Solicitor General John Sauer likened nationwide injunctions to a “nuclear weapon,” disrupting the Constitution’s balance of powers.
The Trump administration had asked the Supreme Court to restrict district court injunctions to the parties involved and the district where the judge presides. This decision marks a significant shift in the balance of power between the executive and judicial branches.
