Washington—On Friday the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, limited universal injunctions issued by federal courts. The following is a statement from Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:
“Even though multiple federal courts carefully laid out the need for a nationwide injunction in the challenges to birthright citizenship to provide full relief to the plaintiffs, the Supreme Court today rashly disregarded longstanding principles of judicial equity by limiting federal courts’ power to issue nationwide injunctions. This ruling will limit access to justice, even in cases where people are facing egregious constitutional rights violations.
“In this country, far too many people have no access to our court system because they lack the resources necessary to hire an attorney. And even law firms and nonprofit legal organizations that provide pro bono assistance in complex constitutional cases have done so to make broad impacts that help everyone.
“When taken in full context, this decision will only further enable the Administration’s effort to quash all forms of dissent. As Justice Jackson noted in her dissenting opinion, ‘If courts do not have the authority to require the Executive to adhere to law universally, compliance with law sometimes becomes a matter of Executive prerogative.’ And the effects of this ruling on marginalized communities who are feeling the brunt of this Administration’s policies will be exacerbated by the White House’s attacks on law firms and non-profit organizations defending causes the current government disfavors.
“Americans do not have to be stuck with this absurd result. Like many things the Supreme Court has broken, Congress can fix this problem–in this instance, by making clear that federal courts have the authority to grant nationwide injunctions in cases where the federal government violates constitutional rights, especially civil rights. And despite this ruling, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law will continue to fight in the courts on behalf of communities being most impacted by this Administration’s unlawful executive actions.
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