A breakdown of the latest Supreme Court decisions, Mamdani's monumental win, and how to take action this summer.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court completed its term, making a flurry of decisions that have reshaped liberty and justice for millions. Here’s a breakdown of the key decisions and their impact.

Trump v. CASA, Inc.

State power to challenge federal decisions (decided June 27, 2025)

This one might be confusing, so let’s break it down. On January 19th, Trump signed an executive order to end "birthright citizenship" - the longstanding rule that anyone born in the United States automatically becomes a U.S. citizen, regardless of their parents' citizenship status.

Multiple federal judges in different states issued court orders in attempts to block Trump's directive from taking effect anywhere in the country. These are called "nationwide injunctions" - essentially, a single judge's decision that stops a government action across all 50 states, not just in their local area. The Trump administration appealed these rulings, asking higher courts to overturn them, bringing the issue to the Supreme Court.

The court ruled 6-3 to limit these types of nationwide court orders, stating that individual federal judges don't have the authority to block government actions across the entire country. This decision significantly limits states' ability to challenge federal actions, a decision that greatly pleased President Trump, but has significant consequences for future issues. Read decision >

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson disagreed strongly with this decision, calling it "profoundly dangerous" and "an existential threat to the rule of law.” States now have to revisit their court orders; birthright citizenship order can't take effect for 30 days until they have a chance to respond.

📢 TAKE ACTION: Tell your members of Congress to protect birthright citizenship.

Mahmoud v. Taylor

Parental Opt-Out for LGBTQ+ Content (decided June 27, 2025)

The Court ruled 6-3 that school systems are required to provide parents with an "opt-out" provision that excuses their children from class when course material conflicts with their religious beliefs. Read decision >

This leaves a mess for schools to handle on their own; now, teachers and administrators will have to sort how to address demands of all types, whether it’s in protest to LGBTQ+ curriculum, accurate history, or health and science. It’ll also work against efforts to protect access to diverse content and curriculum.

📢 TAKE ACTION: Support Learning for Justice, an initiative within the Southern Poverty Law Center providing resources for educators and allies to protect diverse curriculum and the teaching of accurate history in classrooms.

Kennedy v. Braidwood Management Inc.

Access to PrEP and Preventive Care (decided June 27, 2025)

The Court upheld the Affordable Care Act, allowing the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to continue determining which services will be available free of cost to Americans covered by the Affordable Care Act. This specifically protects the agencies under the ACA’s right to ensure affordable access to preventative care services, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication that reduces the risk of contracting HIV. Read decision >

This means, for now, that the 150 million people covered will continue getting many free, preventive services under the act, including PrEP, which has significantly reduced HIV infections since the passage of the ACA mandate.

📢 TAKE ACTION: Make a donation to For the Gworls’ Medical Fund, which provides medical assistance for Black trans people who need support (from transportation to co-pays).

Free Speech Coalition et al. v. Paxton

Minor access to sexually explicit content (decided June 27, 2025)

The Court upheld a Texas law that requires its citizens to verify their age before accessing commercial websites that provide sexually explicit material. Read decision >

This is the first time the court has imposed requirements on adult consumers in order to protect minors from having such access. Advocates argue it holds murky definitions of what type of content is limited, and makes access to said content more difficult for those of age.

United States v. Skrmetti

Healthcare for trans minors (decided June 18, 2025)

The court upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender reassignment surgery, allowing them and other states to continue preventing access. Read decision >

This sets a dangerous precedent for other states, and researchers say that restricting access to gender-affirming care could further worsen outcomes and quality of life. It also accelerates the hateful campaign led by the Trump administration against the safety and justice that trans communities deserve.

This was a 6-3 decision across ideological lines. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the state’s law isn’t a violation of the Constitution’s Equal Protection clause. Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, saying that it “abandons transgender children and their families to political whims.”

FCC v. Consumers' Research

Access to internet for rural communities (decided June 27, 2025)

The Court voted to uphold programs that provide internet access to rural Americans, a win to providing subsidized digital communications and information accessible to vulnerable communities. Read decision >

Critics were against the idea, citing an overreach of power by Congress. The program works on fees generally passed on to customers that are spent providing phone and internet services, including for schools, libraries and hospitals. The decision doesn’t just protect access to this critical infrastructure in a tech-forward society, but takes a stance against the administration’s ongoing efforts to reduce congressional power.

This was a 6-3 decision; Justices Neil Gorsuch, Samuel Alito, and Clarence Thomas dissented from the ruling.

POLITICS

"We fight for working people with no apology": Zohran Mamdani beats Cuomo in NYC mayoral primary. Zohran Mamdani defeated Andrew Cuomo in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, running on a platform centered on the rising cost-of-living in the city. Democracy Now! >

GOP and Fetterman block Senate war powers resolution opposing US attacks on Iran. Nearly all U.S. Senate Republicans and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman blocked a resolution that would have ordered President Trump to stop taking military action against Iran without congressional approval. Truthout >

White House plans to limit intel sharing with Congress over leaked doc. Democratic lawmakers are furious after the Trump administration announced plans to limit classified information typically shared with Congress, following a leak regarding U.S. military strikes on Iran. Truthout >

Gillibrand goes on Islamophobic rant about Mamdani as Republicans try to denaturalize him. Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand went on an Islamophobic rant against NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, suggesting he would represent a threat to public safety if elected. Truthout >

Several polls show Trump's approval rating is underwater by double digits. Polling data shows President Trump with double-digit net-negative numbers, with voters opposed to numerous items on his agenda including his use of the military and his "Big Beautiful Bill." Truthout >

U.N. warns of "spiral of chaos" after U.S. strikes Iran, Israel continues its attacks. The United Nations warned of a "spiral of chaos" after the United States joined Israel's war on Iran by attacking three Iranian nuclear sites with massive bunker-buster bombs. Democracy Now! >

IN PROTEST

No Kings protest organizers schedule July 17 march. Building off what organizers call one of the largest mass demonstrations in U.S. history, the Transformative Justice Coalition announces July 17 protests honoring Civil Rights leader John Lewis. The date choice itself becomes a statement—connecting contemporary resistance to authoritarianism with the legacy of those who created "good trouble" in pursuit of justice. Axios >

Trump admin and allies work to create “one big beautiful database” of surveillance. DOGE has already made progress in assembling the personal details of hundreds of millions of individuals as immigrants become the first target of a rapidly expanding digital dragnet. Truthout >

Tens of thousands have lost nonprofit jobs to federal cuts. Here are 6 of them. Behind the statistics of massive nonprofit layoffs are individual stories that illuminate the human cost of systematically defunding civil society. These personal accounts highlight how federal cuts don't merely reduce services—they dismantle the infrastructure of community organizing and social justice work that takes decades to build. The Chronicle of Philanthropy >

IMMIGRATION

A psychologist unpacks how ICE raids traumatize communities. Psychologist Lisette Sanchez discusses the emotional toll of Trump's immigration crackdown and how families can protect their mental health amid ongoing raids. 19th News >

What Black America’s migrant history tells us now. The complete erasure of Black immigrants, migrants, and refugees is being aided by ICE incursions against disproportionately targeted communities. Prism >

NEIGHBORHOODS

From Watts to D.C.: how 500 Black neighborhoods vanished in 45 years. This article provides a historical reflection to understand how America’s gentrified neighborhoods have lost 500,000 Black people, while gaining residents of every other race. Capital B News >

ENVIRONMENT

Extreme heat is a growing threat to rural America. As urban heat islands grab headlines, rural communities face their own devastating thermal challenges with fewer resources for adaptation. This article examines how extreme heat compounds existing rural healthcare gaps and infrastructure vulnerabilities. Vox >

$180M in environmental dollars restored across 15 states and 315 federally recognized tribes. A federal court rule that the EPA unlawfully terminated environmental justice, representing more than a legal victory, but how the current administration's ideological opposition to environmental justice systematically undermines communities' capacity to protect their own health. Philanthropy Northwest >