During May-June 2026, Trump judges across the country, including the Supreme Court, have helped produce more decisions harming people’s rights. 28 such decisions were issued in May-June, concerning such key subjects as abortion and reproductive freedom, consumer rights and corporate responsibility, immigrant rights, voting rights, environment, LGBTQ+ rights, gun violence, and campaign finance. In the meantime, the Senate has confirmed even more lifetime federal judges nominated by Trump.
Each May-June case is summarized below, along with a link to the full People For the American Way blog entry on the decision and to the ruling itself. Such rulings demonstrate the importance to all of us of nominating and confirming fair-minded federal judges and the dangers posed by Trump-nominated judges.
ABORTION CARE AND REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM
Fifth Circuit Trump judges Kyle Duncan and Kurt Engelhardt ordered a nationwide halt to the use of telemedicine for mifepristone, so it can no longer be sent in the mail. Louisiana sued the FDA to block access to the most common abortion care medication.
CONSUMER RIGHTS AND CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY
- Seventh Circuit Trump judge Michael Scudder cast the deciding vote to allow a big retailer to evade an arbitration agreement with consumers. A large retailer denied consumers complaining of false and deceptive marketing the opportunity to pursue their claims through arbitration, which the company itself had required its customers to agree to.
- Second Circuit Trump judge Michael Park wrote a 2-1 decision striking down a state law requiring national banks to pay interest to consumers on mandated escrow account deposits. Bank of America customers sought to collect 2% interest on their mortgage escrow accounts as required by state law.
- Sixth Circuit Trump judge Nalbandian cast the deciding vote to dismiss a consumer’s case against an auto parts store for injury he suffered from falling in the store’s parking lot. As the dissent explained, the case should have gone to a jury to decide.
- Eighth Circuit Trump judge Ralph Erickson cast the deciding vote to reject a veteran’s claim for social security disability benefits. A veteran with a long history of back and neck problems was denied social security disability benefits despite administrative law judge’s failure to fulfill duty to fully develop the record.
Third Circuit Trump judge David Porter cast the deciding vote to cut overtime-related pay The Department of Labor charged a large company that operated healthcare facilities with failure to pay over $35 million in overtime and related pay to around 6,000 employees.
IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
- Third Circuit Trump judges Stephanos Bibas, David Porter, Paul Matey, Peter Phipps, and Jennifer Mascott blocked a protester unconstitutionally targeted by Trump from going to court. A Columbia University Palestinian rights protester and lawful permanent resident who has been detained and targeted for deportation because of his political activism sought to challenge his detention in court.
- Ninth Circuit Trump judge Patrick Bumatay cast the deciding vote to deny relief to an immigrant who did not receive adequate translation services during her hearing. Maria Tercero-Bautista, who speaks little or no English, came with her children from Guatemala, where she said she had been beaten and threatened with murder. She appeared without counsel because her lawyer had absconded with her money and her files, but the majority denied her appeal because she had not adequately shown prejudice from the inadequate translation services.
- Ninth Circuit Trump judge Patrick Bumatay cast the deciding vote to allow deportation of immigrant without In-person review of immigrant’s testimony. An immigration law judge made the required judgment of immigrant’s in-person credibility, determining that his responses were “vague” and “nonresponsive” based only on review of cold transcript.
- Trump justices Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett make possible 6-3 majority letting Trump target Haitian and Syrian immigrants. The Court let Trump withdraw legal status and work authorizations from hundreds of thousands of Haitians and Syrians living in the United States.
- Trump justices Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett cast deciding votes to uphold a policy denying asylum to immigrants by blocking them from US entry. Trump sought to reinstate a policy from his first term that limited the number of immigrants the administration would process for asylum claims by physically blocking their entry into the US at the border.
- Trump DC Circuit judges Justin Walker and Neomi Rao allow fast-track Trump deportation policy to go forward. As part of his mass deportation plans, Trump ordered the use of a nationwide procedure for fast-track deportation without a hearing that had previously been used only with respect to people apprehended at the border.
Trump Eleventh Circuit judge Brasher issued a 2-1 decision that severely limited review of orders denying relief under Convention Against Torture.
VOTING RIGHTS
- Trump justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett allow Alabama to eliminate majority-black district despite clear evidence of prior discrimination. Post the Callais decision, Alabama sought approval to eliminate lower court orders that had called for a second majority-black district leaving unremedied intentional voting discrimination.
- Trump Eleventh Circuit judges Elizabeth Branch and Robert Luck allow dilution of black voting strength in Alabama.Post the Callais decision Alabama sought to block the use of state senate voting maps that had already been used in 2026 elections.
- Trump Eleventh Circuit judges Kevin Newson and Robert Luck allow Judicial Qualifications Commission to publicize charges against pro-choice judicial candidates just before election. Two candidates for state supreme court justices tried to stop the publicizing of charges against them in what was supposed to be a confidential procedure raising fears that this becomes a “blueprint” for attacking candidates in the future.
Trump justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh nearly undermine the right to vote by mail. In dissent, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh would have blocked states from counting mailed-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, even if they were mailed on or before Election Day.
EMPLOYEE RIGHTS
- Sixth Circuit Trump judges Chad Readler and John Bush allow hospital to avoid bargaining with union on employee rights. Hospital wanted to stop bargaining with union about wages and working conditions.
Trump Seventh Circuit judge Thomas Kirsch cast deciding vote to uphold the dismissal of a woman’s complaint against her employer concerning sexual harassment. A woman working in a tortilla manufacturing facility sought to hold her management accountable for failing to take appropriate action in the face of her co-worker's sexual harassment.
CRIMINAL LAW AND POLICE AND OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT
- Ninth Circuit Trump judge Daniel Bress cast the deciding vote to grant qualified immunity to police officers who threatened to arrest a domestic violence victim that wanted to press charges against her attacker. Domestic violence victim who was brutally beaten and suffered attempted rape sought to press charges against her assailant.
- Trump Eleventh Circuit judge Kevin Newsom cast the deciding vote that cut the funds available to provide bail for poor people. The nonprofit Tallahassee Bail Fund helps those who need help posting bail to get out of jail before trial. A state law significantly reduced money available to the fund by requiring bail funds be used to pay fines owed by someone ultimately convicted before the balance is returned to the Fund.
Trump Ninth Circuit judge Mark Bennett cast the deciding vote excusing a police officer from responsibility for endangering a man. Brett Breuning, who was experiencing drug withdrawal, was picked up by a San Bernadino County deputy and then dropped off at the side of a road where a train was racing along nearby tracks. Breunnig was struck by the train and killed.
ENVIRONMENT
- Trump Ninth Circuit judge Patrick Bumatay casts deciding vote to allow state agency to pollute California landfill. The owner of a California landfill sued several state agencies for allegedly harming its property by leeching hazardous waste into the groundwater in violation of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
Trump Seventh Circuit judges Michael Brennnan and Michael Scudder rule in favor of local official who kept deceased skulls as trophies. The family of a deceased woman was not allowed to sue the county for relief under a law, 42 USC 1983, that lets people sue cities and states that violate their federal rights.
GUN VIOLENCE
Trump justices help SCOTUS majority strike down Hawaii gun violence law. The MAGA justices created the majority for a 6-3 decision striking down a Hawaii law making it illegal to carry firearms onto privately owned public places (like shopping malls, restaurants, and hotels) without the owner's express permission.
PRESIDENTIAL POWER
Trump justices shift immense power to Trump.The three Trump justices made possible a 6-3 majority giving Trump complete power over agencies that Congress created to be independent and bipartisan, including the right to fire agency heads even when Congress has specifically protected them from being fired without cause.
LGBTQ+ EQUALITY
Trump justices cast deciding votes to let states target transgender school athletes. Barrett, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh made possible a 6-3 majority upholding the constitutionality of banning trans girls and women from school sports.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
- Trump justices Kavanaugh, Gorsuch and Barrett cast deciding votes to overturn long-standing federal law and effectively eliminate campaign contribution limits. Several Republican party committees and officials sought to overturn prior court decisions to allow political parties and committee to make campaign expenditures in coordination with election candidates.
