US Supreme Court ends term upholding birthright citizenship and limiting tariff authority

The U.S. Supreme Court concluded its 2025‑2026 term with a series of landmark rulings. In a 6‑3 decision, the Court reaffirmed the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause, rejecting President Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. The same vote struck down the president’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose sweeping tariffs, a ruling that nullified a $166 billion tariff program.

The Court also protected the independence of the Federal Reserve by allowing Governor Lisa Cook to remain in office, and it upheld Mississippi’s practice of counting mail‑in ballots received after Election Day. In a separate case, the justices limited presidential power to remove leaders of independent agencies, overturning a decades‑old precedent that had protected such officials from at‑will dismissal.

Additional decisions included affirming the government’s ability to end temporary protected status for certain immigrant groups, classifying geofence location‑data requests as Fourth‑Amendment searches that require a warrant, and declining to hear appeals on First‑Amendment and defamation matters, thereby preserving existing legal standards.