Legal
Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship, Rejecting Executive Order
The Supreme Court ruled on June 30 that the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause guarantees U.S. citizenship to nearly all individuals born on U.S. soil, rejecting President Trump’s executive order that sought to end birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented or temporary-status parents. The decision reaffirms more than a century of legal precedent rooted in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, the 1898 Supreme Court case that established birthright citizenship as the law of the land, and represents a significant defeat for the administration’s effort to reshape citizenship policy through executive action. The ruling was divided, and legal analysts note the decision exposed sharp rifts among the justices over the scope and reasoning behind the majority’s holding.
Forum President and CEO Jennie Murray responded to the decision, saying, “America is strong because people born here are citizens. This fundamental American principle has helped make us a great nation and global leader.” Despite the ruling, President Trump and some congressional Republicans have said they will push for legislation to end birthright citizenship through statute rather than executive action, setting up a likely continuation of the fight in Congress. The Forum’s policy team released a same-day explainer breaking down the decision and its implications for affected families and communities.
Another Federal Appeals Court Rules Against Government’s Mandatory Detention Policy
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled on June 30 that the Trump administration’s policy of mandatory detention without bond hearings is unlawful, becoming the fourth federal appeals court to reject the administration’s interpretation of a 30-year-old immigration statute. The unanimous three-judge panel ordered the release of Rigoberto Santillan-Quiroz, who has lived in the United States for more than two decades, is married to a legal permanent resident, has a U.S. citizen daughter, and had been detained for more than eight months. The court found that Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) July 2025 policy, which reinterpreted federal law to classify anyone targeted for deportation as an “applicant for admission” subject to mandatory detention, relies on an inaccurate reading of the statute that had never before been applied to justify detention on such a massive scale. The panel warned that the government’s approach “would pose grave constitutional problems,” noting there is little justification for detaining every one of the millions of unadmitted noncitizens in the country without an individualized determination.
The ruling deepens a growing circuit split, with four appeals courts, the Second, Sixth, Tenth, and previously a district-level consensus, now rejecting the policy, while the Fifth and Eighth Circuits have upheld it. Beyond the appellate level, more than 460 federal judges have ruled against the administration’s approach in upward of 9,500 cases, compared to just 54 judges who have endorsed it in roughly 1,000 cases, according to Politico’s review of court filings. With the split among circuits now at 4-2, legal observers say the issue is increasingly likely to reach the Supreme Court for final resolution.
Federal
President Trump Nominates Former Oklahoma State Trooper Lance Schroyer as ICE Director
President Trump announced on June 27 that he intends to nominate Lance Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper and U.S. Marine, as the next director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Schroyer currently serves as a senior adviser to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin, where he has overseen coordination between federal immigration officials and local law enforcement. If confirmed, Schroyer would become the first Senate-confirmed ICE director since 2017, ending nearly a decade in which the agency has been led by a series of acting directors. He would replace acting Director David Venturella, whose career in federal immigration services dates back to the 1980s. Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) congratulated Schroyer on the nomination, saying “Oklahomans have seen his commitment to law enforcement and public safety firsthand”. The Senate must still confirm Schroyer before he can officially assume the role.
State and Local
Tennessee Immigration Law Restricts Medical Aid for Undocumented Children as New Rules Take Effect
On July 1, several new laws took effect in Tennessee, including a measure requiring local government agencies, such as public health departments, to verify immigration status for people seeking certain public benefits and report those without legal status to the state’s Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division. The Tennessee Department of Health has applied this law to children as well, most notably to roughly 400 families enrolled in the state’s Children’s Special Services (CSS) program, which pays for life-sustaining care for critically ill or severely disabled children regardless of immigration status. Families were told that if they wished to keep their children enrolled after June 30, their personal information would be shared with the state agency that coordinates with ICE, with no transition plan offered for children mid-treatment. The measure is part of a broader package of immigration measures, including new penalties for remaining in the state after a final deportation order, that Tennessee Republicans working with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller have described as a model for other states.
Pediatricians and immigrant rights advocates have warned the policy could be life threatening. A Nashville Board of Health member said the affected children often depend on feeding tubes, ventilators, and metabolic formulas just to stay out of the hospital and alive. Advocates and legal groups have called the directive unprecedented nationally. The bill’s sponsors have defended the policy, arguing it simply directs taxpayer funded benefits to those with legal status while preserving federal protections for emergency care; critics counter that families cannot rely on emergency rooms for ongoing treatment like chemotherapy or ventilator support. Three Tennessee doctors who treat CSS patients, represented by the Tennessee Justice Center, sued to block the mandate, arguing it misapplies the law to children. A Nashville chancery court judge issued a temporary restraining order on June 25 and, on July 1, extended that order, setting a July 10 deadline for the parties to negotiate terms while the case continues. The Tennessee Justice Center’s executive director said the continued block gives families breathing room to focus on their children’s care rather than fear of exposure to immigration enforcement.
Florida Board Bans Undocumented Students from State Colleges
On June 30, the Florida State Board of Education approved an amendment barring undocumented students from attending the state’s twenty-eight Florida College System (FCS) institutions, allowing only U.S. citizens and individuals lawfully present in the United States to enroll. Under the new policy, students will be required to provide documentation verifying their U.S. citizenship or lawful presence before enrolling. An additional amendment was also approved that applies the rule to individuals seeking to enroll in adult general education programs, including programs that help students prepare for the GED exam or learn English.
This amendment will have a significant impact, as an estimated 8,000 undocumented students graduate from Florida high schools annually, and more than 49,000 undocumented students are currently enrolled in Florida colleges. Florida currently ranks among the top five states for enrollment of undocumented students in higher education. Additionally, estimates suggest that FCS institutions could lose more than $15 million in tuition and fees annually. Notably, this policy comes just days after Florida’s Board of Governors—which oversees the state’s twelve public universities, including the University of Florida and the University of Central Florida—voted on June 26 to move forward with a similar amendment prohibiting any student who “is not lawfully present in the United States” from enrolling. Their proposed rule remains open for public comment until July 9.
Ohio Governor Urges Trump to Reconsider Haiti TPS as Springfield Community Faces Uncertain Future
Governor Mike DeWine has called on the Trump administration to reconsider ending Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, calling the policy a “job killer” for Ohio after the Supreme Court cleared the way for the termination on June 25. DeWine, a Republican, called the ruling “a mistake,” noting that conditions in Haiti remain dire and that changing the status of these workers is not in Ohio’s or the country’s best interest. More than 10,000 Haitian migrants live in Ohio, concentrated largely in Springfield, a city widely credited with an economic revival driven by Haitian immigration in recent years.
The ruling has triggered fear and confusion in Springfield’s Haitian community, with residents and advocates warning of job losses, expiring driver’s licenses, and few remaining legal options for those without pending asylum claims. Local pastor Carl Ruby said congregants called him in tears the day of the decision, uncertain whether it was even safe to go to work.
BILLS INTRODUCED AND CONSIDERED
H.R. 9199
Permanent Trump Secure Border Act A bill which mirrors the Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2) and would make Trump’s border policies permanent law.
Sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) (13 cosponsors)
06/08/2026 Introduced by Rep. Roy
06/08/2026 Referred to the Committees on the Judiciary; Homeland Security; Ways and Means; and Foreign Affairs
H.R. 9200
To secure the borders of the United States, and for other purposes
Sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) (10 cosponsors)
06/08/2026 Introduced by Rep. Roy
06/08/2026 Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, Ways and Means, Foreign Affairs, and Education and Workforce
Draft Bill: H.R. — Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026
The bill would expand a federal farm labor program and create a path for some undocumented immigrants working in U.S. agriculture to apply for temporary legal status.
Sponsored by Rep. G.T. Thompson (R-Pennsylvania)
06/30/2026 Introduced by by House Agriculture Chair Thompson
Committee assignment not yet available
H. Res. 1403
Expressing the sense of Congress that Medicaid is an important lifeline for the health care of millions of Americans
Sponsored by Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pennsylvania)
06/30/2026 Introduced by Rep. Boyle
06/30/2026 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce
H. Res. 1409
Recognizing the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States of America and reaffirming the commitment of the House of Representatives to the Nation’s founding ideals of liberty, equality, and opportunity for all immigrant communities in the United States
Sponsored by Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Illinois) (7 cosponsors)
06/30/2026 Introduced by Rep. Ramirez
06/30/2026 Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
H.R. 9562
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to clarify the classes of individuals born in the United States who are nationals and citizens of the United States at birth and to provide for the inadmissibility of pregnant aliens who are not married to certain United States nationals or lawful permanent residents
Sponsored by Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tennessee)
06/30/2026 Introduced by Rep. Ogles
06/30/2026 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary
H. Res. 1394
Condemning prosecution policies that give preferential treatment to foreign nationals over United States citizens
Sponsored by Rep. Nick LaLota (R-New York)
06/29/2026 Introduced by Rep. LaLota
06/29/2026 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary
LEGISLATIVE FLOOR CALENDAR
The U.S. House and Senate are scheduled to be in recess until July 13.
SPOTLIGHT ON NATIONAL IMMIGRATION FORUM RESOURCES
The Forum is constantly publishing new policy-focused resources that engage with some of the most topical issues around immigration today. Here are a few that are particularly relevant this week:
Explainer: Supreme Court Reaffirms Birthright Citizenship in Trump v. Barbara
Explainer: Proposed Restrictions on Employment Authorization for Certain Noncitizens
Immigrants and Apprenticeships
Explainer: USCIS Memorandum on Adjustment of Status Within the United States
Reclassifying ‘Applicants for Admission’: How the Second Trump Administration is Reshaping Mandatory Detention
*As of publication (6/26/26 at 2:30 PM EST)
This Bulletin is not intended to be comprehensive. Please contact Nicci Mattey, Senior Policy & Advocacy Associate at the Forum, with questions, comments, and suggestions for additional items to be included. Nicci can be reached at nmattey@forumtogether.org. Thank you.