The United States Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, recently ruled on the scope of universal injunctions issued by federal courts. The case stemmed from legal challenges to an executive order issued by President Trump concerning birthright citizenship. However, the Court's majority opinion, authored by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, did not address the constitutionality of the executive order itself. Instead, the ruling focused on the authority of federal courts to issue nationwide blocks against government policies. The Court determined that such universal injunctions likely exceed the equitable authority historically granted to federal courts, emphasizing that relief should generally be tailored to the specific plaintiffs involved in a case. This decision impacts how future challenges to executive actions may be litigated, requiring lower courts to reconsider the breadth of their injunctions and allowing 30 days for President Trump's birthright citizenship order to take effect, absent further legal action.
Read the full opinion of the Court online.