Key facts
- The Supreme Court is expected to rule on cases concerning gun laws and transgender athletes before the end of June.
- One case challenges a federal law barring illegal drug users from possessing firearms.
- Another case involves a challenge to Hawaii's law restricting handgun carrying on private property open to the public.
- The court is also set to decide the legality of laws in Idaho and West Virginia banning transgender athletes from female sports teams.
- The court's conservative majority has consistently moved American law rightward in recent years.
- The Trump administration is defending the federal law barring drug users from possessing firearms.
- Opinion polls suggest a majority of Americans oppose transgender athletes competing in sports teams aligned with their gender identity.
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue significant rulings by the end of June on cases involving gun laws and transgender athletes, reflecting the court's conservative shift.
In matters of gun rights, the court is reviewing challenges to a federal law that prohibits unlawful drug users from possessing firearms. Arguments suggest the conservative justices are skeptical of this provision, though they are also mindful of not undermining other aspects of gun control laws, such as those barring felons from owning guns. The court is also expected to rule against Hawaii's law requiring express authorization to carry a handgun on private property open to the public, potentially clarifying the legal framework established in the 2022 Bruen decision.
Regarding transgender athletes, the court is considering laws in Idaho and West Virginia that ban transgender individuals from participating in female sports teams. The conservative justices appeared likely to uphold these laws during arguments, aligning with a trend of restricting transgender rights. Public opinion polls indicate a majority of Americans oppose transgender athletes competing in sports aligned with their gender identity.
The court's current term has also seen it move American law rightward, with recent decisions including upholding Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors and rejecting a Colorado law that banned 'conversion' therapy for LGBT minors on First Amendment grounds. The Trump administration has supported the gun law and the bans on transgender athletes.
Additionally, the court is expected to rule on immigration cases concerning Trump's policies on birthright citizenship and Temporary Protected Status for immigrants. Other pending cases involve religious rights and a death penalty appeal.