The Trump administration’s campaign against immigrants reached the U.S. Supreme Court twice this month, as the administration also began urging immigrants to deport themselves. On May 15, the high court heard oral arguments in a case related to birthright citizenship….
AU warns agencies not to believe Trump’s view on Supreme Court rulings
Don’t be misled about U.S. Supreme Court decisions on religious liberty, Americans United warned 18 federal agencies in a May 15 letter. The letter cited a recent presidential memorandum issued by President Donald Trump that “encourages the unlawful repeal of rules…
Supreme Court runs on vibes and grievances, new book contends
Supreme Court justices claim their rulings are based on originalism, textualism or other lofty sounding legal theories. But a new book claims the court’s conservative majority decides cases with “a mishmash of law, vibes, fantasy, facts and ‘alternative facts.’” “At…
100 Days into the Trump presidency, we are living in the Upside Down
In Netflix’s Stranger Things, the residents of fictional Hawkins, Ind., live right above a parallel dimension known as the Upside Down, a frightening, alternative version of reality. A portal into the Upside Down brings the show’s characters to a place…
Supreme Court appears inclined to establish Free Exercise Clause
The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority seemed open April 30 to permitting the use of taxpayer dollars to fund the nation’s first religious public charter school. Their reasoning during oral arguments about the case of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic…
Letter to the Editor: Oklahoma case is a big deal
Dear Editor: In response to the Supreme Court’s argument on religious public schools, April 30: To students of Colonial American history and the Bill of Rights, this is a potential big deal and worthy of attention. Colonial Baptists, Quakers, Presbyterians…
In oral argument, U.S. Supreme Court wrestles with the limits of public school parents’ opt-out rights
In oral argument in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor, the U.S. Supreme Court probed the issue of whether and to what extent parents of young schoolchildren enjoy a right under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to opt…
Supreme Court blocks Trump’s use of Enemy Aliens Act
For the time being, the Trump administration has been blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court from using a centuries-old law to deport a group of Venezuelans accused of being gang members. “The government is directed not to remove any member…
The latest far-right argument: Women are too empathetic to serve on Supreme Court
While still attacking empathy as a sin, the far-right among American conservatives — including some Christian leaders — has a new gripe to air: Women should not be allowed to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. William Wolfe, former aide…
High court appears sympathetic to Catholic Charities case against Wisconsin
As anticipated, the U.S. Supreme Court appeared sympathetic with Catholic Charities of Wisconsin March 31 in its case against the state of Wisconsin that could have national repercussions for other faith-based nonprofits. In oral hearings for Catholic Charities Bureau v….
Seven religion-influenced cases pending before US Supreme Court
The Supreme Court soon will hear arguments about tax breaks for charities, school policies on LGBTQ material, Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood, and Oklahoma’s proposed Catholic charter school. The high court also agreed to hear a case on gay conversion…
The Urgent Supreme Court Case That’s Not Getting Enough Attention
While the country holds its breath for the Supreme Court’s responses to the Trump administration’s serial depredations, it’s hard to focus on anything else. Nonetheless, a case set for argument next month before the court merits more attention than the little it has received,…