Supreme Court issues 58 rulings expanding presidential authority over agencies

The Supreme Court issued opinions in 58 merits cases during its most recent term, addressing issues from agency leadership to voting procedures and sports participation. Thirteen of those rulings split 6-3 along ideological lines. The decisions included upholding state bans on transgender students competing on girls sports teams and allowing the administration to end temporary humanitarian relief for more than one million people.

Presidential authority and agency leadership In Trump v.

Slaughter the court ruled 6-3 that the president may remove officials at independent agencies previously protected by statute. The decision overturned a 1935 precedent. The same 6-3 majority permitted the administration to terminate humanitarian protections for Haitians and Syrians living legally in the United States.

Voting rights and campaign finance A 6-3 decision limited the reach of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, enabling state lawmakers in Louisiana and Alabama to redraw congressional districts. Another 6-3 ruling removed prior limits on coordinated spending between political parties and candidates.

Justice Elena Kagan dissented in the campaign finance case, stating the decision would allow more money to enter politics.

Cross-ideological coalitions Three conservatives joined the court's three liberals to uphold automatic birthright citizenship and to reject emergency tariffs. Twenty-five cases produced unanimous decisions, representing 44 percent of the docket. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh were in the majority more often than any other justices.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined Roberts in the birthright citizenship majority but faced public criticism from some Republican lawmakers.