BREAKING | Trump Administration Empowered: US Supreme Court Limits Power Of Individual Judges To Block Executive Actions

Washington: The US Supreme Court has delivered a big win to President Donald Trump's administration by limiting the power of individual federal judges to block executive actions. In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled that nationwide injunctions issued by lower courts likely exceed the equitable authority that Congress has granted to federal courts. According to reports, the ruling stems from Trump's bid to end birthright citizenship, which has led to intense criticism and legal challenges. The court's 6-3 decision, written by conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, mandates that lower courts in Maryland, Massachusetts, and Washington state reconsider the sweeping scope of their injunctions.

The Supreme Court's decision limits the power of federal judges to grant broad legal relief in cases challenging executive actions. The court's ruling does not settle the constitutionality of Trump's policy change, which would deny citizenship to children born in the US to undocumented immigrants. However, it paves the way for the executive order to take effect in parts of the country while legal challenges proceed in others.

The US president had signed an executive order directing federal agencies to refuse to recognise the citizenship of children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants. However, the policy change was blocked by federal judges in Maryland, Massachusetts, and Washington state, prompting the Trump administration to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett, writing for the majority, asserted that federal courts do not exercise general oversight of the Executive Branch. "When a court concludes that the Executive Branch has acted unlawfully, the answer is not for the court to exceed its power, too," she wrote.

The court's conservative majority agreed that broad injunctions should be curbed, but left open the possibility that the birthright citizenship order could still be challenged or blocked under other legal avenues. The liberal justices, including Sonia Sotomayor, dissented, arguing that the majority's decision ignores the patent unlawfulness of the executive order and undermines the role of the judiciary in checking executive power.

Trump's Executive Order

Donald Trump signed the executive order on his first day back in office, directing federal agencies to refuse to recognise the citizenship of children born in the US who do not have at least one parent who is an American citizen or a lawful permanent resident. The policy change would deny citizenship to more than 1,50,000 newborns annually, according to estimates from civil rights groups and state attorneys general who filed lawsuits against the policy.

The plaintiffs argued that Trump's directive violates the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees citizenship to "all persons born or naturalised in the US, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof." The administration contends that the amendment does not extend to immigrants who are in the country illegally or temporarily.

The court's ruling limits the use of nationwide injunctions, which can prevent the government from enforcing a policy against anyone, not just the individual plaintiffs who brought the lawsuit.

The analysts suggested that by limiting the authority of individual judges to issue nationwide injunctions, the Supreme Court has effectively empowered the Trump administration to implement its policies with fewer legal hurdles.

President Donald Trump's Reaction

President Trump welcomed the ruling, describing it as a "GIANT WIN" in a social media post. The decision is seen as a major victory for Trump's administration, which has faced numerous legal challenges to its policies. In a post on his social media handle, the US President said, “GIANT WIN in the United States Supreme Court! Even the Birthright Citizenship Hoax has been, indirectly, hit hard. It had to do with the babies of slaves (same year!), not the SCAMMING of our Immigration process. Congratulations to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Solicitor General John Sauer, and the entire DOJ.”

The concept of birthright citizenship, enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, has been a contentious issue in American politics. Trump's executive order challenges the long-standing interpretation of the amendment, which guarantees citizenship to almost anyone born on US soil.

The Supreme Court's ruling does not settle the question of whether Trump's policy change is constitutional, leaving the issue open to further litigation. However, the decision will likely have big implications for the future of immigration policy in the United States.