The Supreme Court’s term is packed — birthright citizenship, presidential removals, voting rules, transgender sports and more. Constitutional law expert Rod Sullivan joins News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton on this week’s episode of Politics & Power to discuss what’s at stake and why it matters to you.
Supreme Court ’s high-stakes term could reshape presidential power, immigration, voting rightsRead full article: Will changes to foods banned from SNAP lead to a healthier Florida?Clay, Putnam wildfires merge into ‘unpredictable’ 3K-acre Railroad Fire: Here’s what you need to knowRed Flag Warning issued as drought worsens across our area, complicating firefighting efforts The U.
S. Supreme Court is in the middle of one of its most consequential terms in recent memory — and the decisions it hands down could redefine the balance of power in Washington and beyond. Running from October through late June, the current term puts justices at the center of debates over presidential authority, immigration policy, voting rights, civil rights, campaign finance and more.One of the term’s most-watched cases centers on a question that traces back to the Civil War era: Who is a U.S. citizen by birth? On April 1, justices pressed the Trump administration over an executive order instructing federal agencies not to recognize citizenship for children born in the United States to parents who are not citizens or lawful permanent residents. A lower court blocked the policy, citing the 14th Amendment’s guarantee that all persons born on U.S. soil are citizens. The case has drawn intense scrutiny from legal scholars and civil rights advocates who argue the order runs counter to more than 125 years of constitutional precedent.The court is also weighing how much control a president has over officials at independent federal agencies — a question with sweeping implications for institutions like the Federal Reserve. At issue is the Trump administration’s attempt to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. The Federal Reserve Act limits removals to situations involving “cause,” a provision long seen as a cornerstone of the Fed’s political independence.The Federal Reserve sets interest rates that directly affect mortgage payments, car loans, credit card bills and the broader pace of inflation — decisions that carry more weight when made free from political pressure. Cook has described the allegations against her as a “pretext” for removal driven by policy disagreements rather than any misconduct.In a related dispute over the firing of a Federal Trade Commission commissioner, several justices framed congressional tenure protections as a potential encroachment on executive authority.Election law is another major front this term, with cases that could alter how Americans vote and how political parties spend money. The court is examining limits on coordinated campaign spending — think a political party and its candidate working together to blanket swing-state airwaves with the same ads in the final weeks of an election. Current rules restrict how closely a party can coordinate that kind of spending with a candidate’s campaign, and the court’s ruling could loosen or reinforce those guardrails. Justices are also hearing challenges to mail-in ballot rules, including a Mississippi policy that allows ballots to be counted if received up to five days after Election Day. Separate cases under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act could further define the legal tools available to challenge electoral maps and voting procedures that advocates say disadvantage minority voters.The court is navigating a cluster of socially charged cases involving gender identity and free expression. Justices are considering the legality of state laws banning transgender athletes from competing in sports that align with their gender identity — a debate that has played out in legislatures and courts across the country in recent years. On conversion therapy, the court is deciding whether state bans on the practice constitute a regulation of conduct or an unconstitutional restriction on speech. The court recently described Colorado’s ban as an “intrusion on free speech rights,” a signal that some justices may view such laws skeptically.Several immigration cases round out a docket that advocates on multiple sides are watching closely. The justices are reviewing the practice of asylum “metering,” in which border officials limit the number of migrants who can request asylum at official ports of entry on a given day. Also before the court are protections for immigrants under Temporary Protected Status, a program that shields nationals from certain countries facing conflict or disaster from deportation.For voters, parents, immigrants and athletes, the rulings could change daily realities — from how ballots are counted and how campaigns are funded, to whether a child born on U.S. soil is recognized as a citizen and whether a transgender student can compete in school sports. Taken together, the term’s docket concentrates on some of the most fundamental questions in American law: how power is divided among the branches of government, how far federal civil rights laws reach, and where states can and cannot regulate speech, health and gender. The court’s rulings — most expected by late June — will carry immediate consequences for federal and state policy, and their effects are likely to reverberate through politics and governance for years to come.Constitutional law expert Rod Sullivan joins me on this week’s episode of Politics & Power as we discuss:How the Supreme Court could redefine presidential power, voting rights, immigration rights, gun rights and agency powerHow community is rallying to save halfway house after I-TEAM report reveals inspection oversightsEquestrian Center opens doors for those who need to evacuate horses, livestock from wildfiresWildfires near Clay-Putnam County line expected to merge into 3K-acre blazeLarge wildfires merging near Clay-Putnam County lineMother demands safety changes after she says teen son was jumped, robbed at Westside park1 year after FSU shooting, records reveal suspect’s ChatGPT messages as victims are honoredBradford County commissioners postpone decision on potential ICE detention centerMan arrested in connection with fatal shooting at Circle K off Square Lake BoulevardScore a free Jumbo Shrimp replica jersey on April 18Man fatally shot at Circle K off Square Lake Boulevard on Jacksonville's SouthsideRiver City Science Academy teacher accused of ‘grooming’ student using messages on Canva app
Politics Donald Trump Supreme Court Rod Sullivan Birthright Citizenship Federal Reserve Elections Election Law Transgender Athletes Conversion Therapy Immigration
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