The US Supreme Court has ruled that lower courts do not have the unilateral authority to block a president’s agenda.
Its judgement said lower courts can no longer issue nationwide orders stopping a US administration from enforcing a policy.
Calling it a “monumental win,” President Donald Trump noted that the 6-3 majority decision would positively impact his and future presidencies.
He declared: “I was elected on a historic mandate. In recent months, we’ve seen a handful of radical left judges effectively try to overrule the rightful powers of the president.”
“IT WAS A GRAVE THREAT TO DEMOCRACY”
Nationwide injunctions have been at the centre of the Trump administration’s stand-off with the judiciary, as several of his actions — from his “illegal immigration” crackdown to efforts to freeze federal funding — were halted by district court judges.
“[They wanted] to stop the American people from getting the policies that they’ve voted for in record numbers. It was a grave threat to democracy,” railed the president.
In the case they were considering, all six conservative justices allowed President Trump to try to end ‘birthright citizenship’ in some parts of the country while legal challenges against his executive order proceed in others.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said she is “very confident” the Supreme Court will eventually rule in favour on the merits of the president’s order ending ‘birthright citizenship.’
“FEDERAL COURTS DO NOT EXERCISE OVERSIGHT OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH”
The ruling did not address the question of ‘birthright citizenship’ which is the practice of granting automatic citizenship rights for babies born on United States soil, regardless of their parents’ citizenship status.
Previously, lower courts in Maryland, Massachusetts, and Washington state had issued nationwide injunctions that blocked the president’s executive order on the issue, from taking effect.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett penned the court’s opinion for the majority.
She wrote that “federal courts do not exercise general oversight of the Executive Branch; they resolve cases and controversies consistent with the authority Congress has given them.”
“When a court concludes that the Executive Branch has acted unlawfully, the answer is not for the court to exceed its power, too,” Justice Barrett asserted.
MUCH HARDER FOR COURTS TO CHALLENGE PRESIDENT’S AGENDA
That will make it much harder for lower courts to challenge President Trump’s domestic agenda through what Attorney General Bondi described as an “endless barrage” of injunctions.
The president celebrated the ruling by posting:
“This is SUCH A BIG DAY. This is a very big moment, and it gives power back to people that should have it.”
“It only takes bad power away from judges. This is a very monumental decision.”
TRUMP POLICIES CAN NOW MOVE FORWARD
The president said a “whole list” of his policies can now move forward thanks to the decision.
They include ending ‘sanctuary city’ funding, suspending refugee resettlement, and stopping federal taxpayers from paying for transgender surgeries.
President Trump also praised Justice Barrett whom he nominated to the nation’s highest court in 2020.
“I just have great respect for her. I always have. And her decision was brilliantly written today.”
