Stories
US Supreme Court Term to Reshape Gun, Religion and Immigration Laws
- •The US Supreme Court has begun a new term that could deliver landmark decisions on immigration, gun rights and religious freedom.
- •Key immigration cases include challenges to sending noncitizens to third countries and mandatory detention policies under Donald Trump.
- •The justices will evaluate whether states can constitutionally prohibit AR-15-style semiautomatic rifles.
- •Religious rights cases feature a dispute over a Colorado Catholic preschool and an expected challenge regarding the Ten Commandments in Texas classrooms.
- •The November midterms could influence potential judicial retirements, the composition of the court and Democratic proposals for court restructuring.
Key Questions Answered
The Supreme Court has agreed to review whether the government can send noncitizens to third countries where they are not citizens and whether mandatory detention for immigrants awaiting removal is constitutional. Other policies like birthright citizenship restrictions and transgender military bans could also reach the justices.
The court will consider whether states can prohibit AR-15-style semiautomatic rifles, specifically examining state restrictions in Illinois and Connecticut that are being challenged by gun owners and gun-rights organisations.
Democrats have introduced plans that include imposing term limits on justices, expanding the court from nine to 13 seats, and establishing an enforceable ethics code, though these changes would face major hurdles in the Senate.
