Your Daily Guide

How Supreme Court Rulings Play Out in Chicago

The U.S. The Supreme Court will hear a challenge to Cook County’s assault weapons ban, which prohibits 125 types of rifles, including AR-15s. The case was brought by gun rights activists.

However, that ruling won’t come for a while. The Supreme Court is now in recess, following a spate of high-profile decisions that affect Illinois and beyond.

Birthright citizenship: In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s executive order ending automatic birthright citizenship, thus preserving the constitutional right. In Illinois, leaders celebrated.

• Among them: U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez (3rd), whose mother came from Guatemala while pregnant with her, and Attorney General Kwame Raoul, whose Haitian mother was not naturalized at the time of his birth.
• In Illinois: Over 8% of U.S.-born residents live with at least one immigrant parent, and more than half of Illinois immigrants are not naturalized citizens.

Temporary protected status: While the birthright citizenship ruling was celebrated by immigrants and advocates, the Supreme Court dealt a simultaneous blow, ending Temporary Protected Status for people from Haiti and Syria. The decision affects roughly 260 Haitians and 500 Syrians living in Illinois.

The counting of mail-in ballots: In another Trump rejection, the Supreme Court ruled that mail-in ballots can be counted after Election Day, based on their postmark. The Mississippi law that was challenged allows ballots to be counted if they arrive within five business days of the election. In Illinois, ballots can arrive up to two weeks later.

• Currently: There’s a similar federal court challenge in Illinois, though this new decision likely sets precedent.
• A warning: Illinois Democrats say voting rights are “still under attack.”

Trans girls in sports: A win for conservatives, the Supreme Court opted to block transgender athletes from playing on teams that match their gender identity, upholding state bans. However, in Illinois, transgender students still have the right to fully participate in any school activity, including sports.

Dobbs, four years on: June also marked the fourth anniversary of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned the constitutional right to abortion. In that time, Illinois has become a haven for those seeking reproductive care. Last year alone, 32,000 people came from out of state for abortions.

• Additionally: The Chicago Abortion Fund has assisted more than 60,000 callers and distributed more than $25 million in aid since 2022.