2025-26SupremeCourtTermRecap
FromOctober2025throughJune2026,theU.S.SupremeCourt(SCOTUS) issueddecisionsin33casesspanningissuesfromdataprivacytoelectionlaw. TheCongressionalBlackCaucusFoundationhasmonitoredtheserulingsand assessedtheirimplicationsforBlackcommunities.Below,wehighlightfiveof theCourt’sdecisionswiththegreatestpotentialtoshapeBlackcivilrightsand civicparticipation.
Louisianav.Callais
Followingthe2020Census,theLouisianastatelegislaturedrewnewelectoral maps,includingonemajority-minoritydistrict,aspermittedbytheVoting RightsAct(VRA).Agroupoflitigantssued,claimingthatthemapshouldhave twomajority-minoritydistrictstoaddressanincreaseinthestate’sBlack populationandensurethatBlackvotershavetheabilitytoelectthecandidate oftheirchoice.Afederalcourtagreed,and,in2024,thestateimplementeda mapwithtwomajority-minoritydistricts.In2024,agroupofself-identified “non-AfricanAmericanvoters”suedLouisiana,arguingthatthemapwasan unconstitutionalracialgerrymanderandviolatedthe14thAmendment. SCOTUStookupthecase,withbothsidespresentingoralargumentsonMarch 24,2025andOctober15,2025.OnApril29,2026,SCOTUSruled6-3tostrike downthemap,weakeningSection2oftheVRAintheprocess.
LEGALUPDATE
InresponsetorampantracialdiscriminationinvotingduringtheJimCrowera, PresidentLyndonB.JohnsonsignedtheVRAintolawin1965.TheVRA’sprotections weredesignedtopreventthedilutionoftheBlackvoteandwereinstrumentalin creatingamultiracialdemocracyinwhichallAmericanscouldparticipate.The SupremeCourtheldthatrace-baseddistrictsnotrequiredbytheVRAviolatethe Constitution’sequalprotectionguarantee,anditrewrotethetestforSection2 claims,requiringchallengestoshowpresent-dayintentionaldiscriminationin votingratherthanrelyingonhistoricaldiscriminationanditseffects.Priortothe decision,over40,000voteshadalreadybeencastinLouisiana’sprimary. Followingtheverdict,GovernorJeffLandrysuspendedthecongressionalprimaries byexecutiveorderanddiscardedtheballots,forcingthousandsofvoterstorecast theirvotes.
ThedecisionspawnedredistrictingeffortsinAlabama,Florida,andTennesseejust monthsbeforethemidtermelections.OtherstateslikeSouthCarolinaand Georgiaexpressedinterestinredrawingtheirmapsaheadofthe2028election, insteadofwaitingforthenextCensusin2030. Thedecisionalsohasimplications forBlackelectoralrepresentation,astheCongressionalBlackCaucuscouldlose upto19membersduetothemid-decaderedistrictingeffortsfollowingtheCallais decision.
FormoreinformationontheCallaisdecision,readourexplainerhere.
Mullinv.Doe,etal.
TheTemporaryProtectedStatus(TPS)program,overseenbytheDepartmentof HomelandSecurity(DHS),grantsshort-termlegalresidencytoimmigrantsfrom countrieswithunsafeconditions.In2025,theTrumpAdministrationmovedto revokeTPSfromimmigrantsfrom13countries,includingHaitiandSyria.Agroupof litigantssuedtheDHSandthen-SecretaryKristiNoem,whoorderedthe terminations;thecasenowbearsthenameofhersuccessor,DHSSecretary MarkwayneMullin.ThelitigantsarguedthatthedecisiontoendTPSforHaitiand Syriaconstitutedracialdiscrimination.Twofederalcourtspausedthe administration’sTPSrevocation,butSCOTUSheardoralargumentsonApril29, 2026,andissuedarulingonJune25.Ina6-3decision,SCOTUSruledthatthelaw establishingTPSbarscourtsfromreviewingthegovernment’stermination decisions,anditseparatelyrejectedtheclaimthattheterminationswereracially discriminatory.Inthemajorityopinion,JusticeSamuelAlitoalsostatedthatthe revocationwasnotraciallydiscriminatorybecausetheTrumpAdministration removedTPSdesignationsfromoveradozencountrieswithdifferentracial demographics.
Louisianav.Callais
Mullinv.Doe,etal.
Thisdecisionwillhavecatastrophicconsequencesforthemorethan300,000 HaitianimmigrantsenrolledintheTPSprogram.TheStateDepartment currentlyhasaLevelFourtraveladvisoryonHaiti,whichencourages Americanstonottraveltothecountrydueto“riskofcrime,terrorism, kidnapping,unrest,andlimitedhealthcare.”SCOTUS’srulinginthiscasewill allowthegovernmenttosendHaitiansonTPSbacktotheirhomecountry,even thoughthefederalgovernmenthasdeterminedthatHaitiisnotsafeforUS citizens.TheObamaadministrationgrantedHaitiansTPSin2010followinga devastatingearthquake,andforover15years,Haitianshavecreated communities,startedfamilies,andworkedintheUnitedStates.Thetermination ofTPSwilluprootanddisplaceHaitianimmigrantsandforcethemtoleave theirhomesandcommunities.
Watsonv.RepublicanNationalCommittee
FederallawestablishesElectionDayasthefirstTuesdayafterthefirstMonday inNovemberforfederalelections.In2020,Mississippipassedalawthat allowedmail-inballotstobecounteduptofivebusinessdaysafterElection Day,providedtheyarepostmarkedbyElectionDay.In2024,theRepublican NationalCommitteesuedthestateofMississippiandSecretaryofState MichaelWatson,allegingthatthestate’spolicyviolatedfederalelectionlaw. Thedistrictcourtruledinfavorofthestate,buttheU.S.CourtofAppealsforthe FifthCircuitreversedthedecision.OnMarch23,2026,bothsidespresentedoral argumentstoSCOTUS.OnJune29,2026,theCourtruled5-4thatMississippi’s lawdidnotviolatefederalelectionlaw,andthatElectionDaydoesnothaveto coincidewiththedateofballotreceipt.
Thisrulingsupportsaccesstotheballotboxforcollegestudentsvotingintheir hometown,votersinruralareas,voterswithdisabilities,andvoterswhomay experiencetransportationissues,includingelderlyvoterswhodonotdrive.This decisionallowsincreasedflexibilityinmaildeliverywithoutleavingvotersto worrythattheirballotswillnotbecounted.Whilethiscasewasbasedin Mississippi,therulingwillhavenationwideimplications.MorethanhalfofU.S. statesofferno-excusemail-invoting,includingstateswithsignificantBlack populations,likeMarylandandGeorgia.Thisdecisionwillpermitmorestatesto expandvotingaccessibility,providingimportantflexibilityforvoterswith marginalizedidentities.
InMayof2019,policeofficersinVirginiauseda“geofence”warrant,which requirescompaniestoturnoverlocationdataforeverydeviceinadefined areaduringasettimewindowtothepolice,toaidintheirsearchforabank robberysuspect.TheofficersarrestedOkelloChatrieusinginformation obtainedbyGoogle’scloud-basedrecordstotrackhislocation.Chatrie’s lawyersmovedtothrowouttheevidence,arguingthewarrantviolatedhis FourthAmendmentprotectionagainstunreasonablesearchesandseizures. Thedistrictcourtfoundthewarrantflawedbutallowedtheevidenceanyway; onappeal,thecircuitcourtwentfurther,rulingthatChatriehadnoprivacy interestatallbecausehewillinglysharedhislocationwithGoogle.SCOTUS heardoralargumentsonApril27,2026,andissueditsrulingonJune29,2026. Ina6-3decision,theCourtruledthatusershaveareasonableexpectationof privacyevenwhensharinginformationwithcompaniesthatcollectdata.The justicessentthecasebacktothecircuitcourtformorefactfindingaroundthe issueofprobablecause.
Thisrulingestablishesimportantprecedentonprivacyinthedigitalage. Criminallegalsystemreformershaverailedagainstgeofencewarrantsdueto thepotentialtoreinforceracialbiases.Accordingtolegalscholars,Fourth Amendmentconcernsaroundgeofencewarrantsareakintostop-and-frisk policies,wherelawenforcementofficialstemporarilydetainandsearch individualsdemonstratingsuspiciousbehavioratanofficer’sdiscretion. Studiesonstop-and-friskfoundthatthepolicyrarelyleadstothedetectionof criminalbehavior,andthatBlackmenwerestoppedathigherratesthanany otherdemographicgroup.Withdigitalsurveillance,policedepartmentsuse technologyfromthird-partycompaniestoidentifyandexcludesuspects,but thevettinglargelyoccurswithouttheindividual'sknowledge.Thecombination ofprivacyconcerns,combinedwiththepotentialforalgorithmicbias,puts BlackAmericansatriskoffalseaccusations.Thisdecisionprovidesacheckon lawenforcementofficials’authoritytoobtaintheprivateinformationof Americancitizens,whichwillhelpprotectBlackAmericansfromracialbias.
Chatriev.UnitedStates
OnthefirstdayofPresidentTrump’ssecondterm,heissuedanexecutiveorder entitled“ProtectingtheMeaningandValueofAmericanCitizenship,”which soughttoendbirthrightcitizenshipforchildrenborntoundocumented immigrantsortoparentslawfullyinthecountryontemporaryvisas,suchas work,tourist,orstudentvisas.Sixweekslater,PresidentTrumpreclassifiedthe orderasapresidentialactionbutdidnotalterthelanguage.Inresponse,a coalitionofnon-citizenresidentswhowereexpectingchildrenfiledalawsuit againstPresidentTrumparguingthattheorderviolatedthe14thAmendment. Thelowercourtsruledthepresidentialactionunconstitutional,but,in December2025,theTrumpadministrationpetitionedtheSupremeCourtto hearthecase.InAprilof2026,bothsidespresentedoralarguments.SCOTUS issueditsrulingonJune30,2026,thefinaldecisiondayoftheterm.Ina6-3 decision,SCOTUSstruckdowntheorder,withfivejusticesholdingthatit violatedthe14thAmendment.JusticeBrettKavanaughissuedaconcurring opinionstatingthattheactionviolatedalawpassedbyCongress,notthe Constitution.
The14thAmendmentisoneofthe“Reconstructionamendments,”whichwere introducedaftertheCivilWartoestablishrightsforformerlyenslavedpeople. ThisrulingaffirmsbirthrightcitizenshipasarightforallchildrenbornonU.S. soil,whichhasbeenlawsince1868.Thisrulingisavictoryforimmigrant communities,becauseundocumentedindividualscannotaccessfood assistance,federalstudentloans,orMedicaid,theirchildren’scitizenshipis whatsecuresaccesstothosesupports.Additionally,in2025,oneinfourBlack Americanswereimmigrantsorthechildrenofimmigrants.Blackimmigrants aremorelikelytohavecollegedegreesthanU.S.bornBlackAmericans,and theabilitytoreceivestudentaidiscrucialtotheirabilitytothriveandearna living.GiventhatBlackindividualsareoverrepresentedasMedicaidand SupplementalNutritionAssistanceProgram(SNAP)recipients,thepreservation ofbirthrightcitizenshipallowsU.S.bornchildrenofBlackimmigrantsto maintainaccesstocrucialsocialservices.ThedecisionalsocheckedPresident Trump’spowertoalterestablishedlawthroughexecutiveorder.
Trumpv.Barbara
TheCongressionalBlackCaucus(CBC)hasbeenvocalinresponsetothe SupremeCourt’slatestrulings.
InthewakeofLouisianav.Callais,theCBChascalledforcorporationsto standupforvotingrights.TheCBCjoinedsixothercaucusestoissuethe followingstatement:
“InthewakeoftheSupremeCourt'sdecisioninLouisianav.Callais, Republican-ledlegislaturesandgovernorsacrosstheSouthhave movedswiftlytoredrawcongressionalmapsaheadoftheNovember electioninadeliberateefforttodiluteBlackvotingstrength,weaken Blackrepresentation,androllbackdecadesofhard-woncivilrights progresssecuredthroughtheVotingRightsActof1965.[...]For decades,corporationshavebenefitedfromthetalent,labor, innovation,andpurchasingpowerofBlackcommunities.[...]Wecall onCorporateAmericatostandonthesideofdemocracybyopposing effortsthatunderminefairrepresentationandbyensuringthatits politicalengagement,investments,andpublicactionsreflectthevalues ithaspledgedtouphold.”FullStatement
CBCMemberRep.AyannaPressleyintroducedabilltoextendprotections toHaitiansreceivingTPSthatpassedtheHouseofRepresentativeswith bipartisansupport.CBCMemberSen.LisaBluntRochesterco-sponsored thebillintheSenate,butithasnotbeenbroughttothefloorforavote.The CaucusissuedthefollowingstatementinresponsetotheSCOTUSdecision inMullinv.Doe,etal.
“Today,theconservativesupermajorityontheSupremeCourtruledin favoroftheTrumpAdministration,allowingittocontinueitsracistplan tostripTemporaryProtectedStatusfromnearly350,000Haitiansand 6,000Syrians,subjectingmanytodeportationamidHaiti’sextreme humanitarian,political,andeconomiccrises.PresidentTrumphas repeatedlydisparagedHaitiancommunitieswithmisinformation, dehumanizingrhetoric,andracistlanguage.Insteadofworkingto lowerthecostoflivingforhardworkingAmericanfamilies,President Trumphasonceagainreturnedtothesameracistplaybookof targetingimmigrantcommunitiesforpoliticalgain.[...]The CongressionalBlackCaucuswillcontinueworkinginlockstepwith partnersandcommunityadvocatestoensurethatHaitianandSyrian TPSholdersareprotected.”FullStatement
InthecaseTrumpv.Barbara,HouseMinorityLeaderandCBCMemberRep. HakeemJeffriesandHouseDemocrats’LitigationTaskForceCo-ChairRep. JoeNegusefiledanamicusbriefaffirmingtheimportanceofbirthright citizenship.TheCBCjoinedwiththeCongressionalHispanicCaucusandthe CongressionalAsianPacificAmericanCaucustoissuethefollowing statementafterSCOTUSruledinTrumpv.Barbara.
“Today’sdecisionaffirmsafundamentalconstitutionalprinciplethat hasdefinedournationforgenerations:everychildbornintheUnited StatesisacitizenoftheUnitedStates.Thispromisewasestablishedby theFourteenthAmendment,affirmedbytheSupremeCourtinthe1898 caseUnitedStatesv.WongKimArk,andcodifiedintofederallaw.While PresidentTrumpbelievesheisabovethelaw,today’srulingservesasa reminderthathecannotoverridetheConstitutionordenypeoplethe rightsitguaranteeswithastrokeofapen.Hisefforttoendbirthright citizenshipandredefinewhogetstobeanAmericanhasfailed.”Full Statement