Supreme Court limits judges' power to block federal policies nationwide 6-3

On Jun. 27, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Trump v. CASA, Inc. to limit federal judges’ authority to issue nationwide injunctions blocking executive policies.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote the majority opinion, holding that federal courts do not exercise general oversight of the Executive Branch and may grant nationwide relief only when class-wide certification exists or truly “indivisible” relief is necessary.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Kagan and Jackson, dissented and read her dissent aloud from the bench, arguing the majority used procedural rules to avoid ruling on the constitutional merits.

The Court’s decision allows President Trump’s birthright citizenship order to take partial effect and explicitly leaves unresolved whether the order violates the Fourteenth Amendment.

According to the order’s supporters, limiting nationwide injunctions is meant to curb “forum shopping,” but critics warn it creates unequal constitutional protection based on where plaintiffs file.

The birthright citizenship policy could affect approximately 222,000 to 255,000 newborns annually, who may face passport denials and legal uncertainty while litigation proceeds.

Civil rights and environmental organizations must now rely more heavily on Rule 23 class actions or coordinated multi-district litigation to seek broad injunctive relief.