Trump Justices Help Complete “Demolition” of Voting Rights Act
- Thu, Apr 30 at 6:06 PM
April 2026 
Spotlight
The Supreme Court’s latest ruling in Louisiana v. Callais delivers a devastating blow to the Voting Rights Act, with a 6-3 majority including all three Trump-appointed justices blocking a congressional map designed to expand Black representation in Louisiana. By rewriting how Section 2 is applied, the Court has made it far harder to challenge racial discrimination in voting, effectively discarding decades of precedent that focused on discriminatory impact. In a searing dissent, Justice Kagan warns the decision completes the Court’s long-running effort to dismantle one of the nation’s most important civil rights laws. The consequences could be sweeping: fewer majority-minority districts, diminished representation for voters of color, and a clear path for states to weaken voting power across the country.
The federal judiciary is being reshaped in real time – and the consequences are already here. The Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais is just the latest example, weakening protections that voters have relied on for decades. But this is part of a much larger effort: Donald Trump and his allies have spent years installing judges who are now advancing a far-right agenda from the bench, locking in policies that could not survive through the democratic process. This is not a neutral court system. It is being warped into a MAGA-aligned machine designed to entrench power and roll back fundamental and hard-won rights.
That is exactly why People For continues fighting back. We are exposing the records of extremist nominees, mobilizing opposition to their confirmations, and leading the charge for meaningful court reform – especially at the Supreme Court – to restore balance, accountability, and integrity to our justice system. But this work takes sustained resources, and right now, we are falling far short of our fundraising goal.
We cannot afford to slow down at a moment like this. If we are going to push back against this coordinated effort to capture the courts and undermine our rights, we need your support. Please make a contribution today to help us continue this critical work.>>
This Month
Justin Smith’s confirmation hearing set off alarm bells for anyone who cares about an independent judiciary. Trump’s longtime personal lawyer and a key figure behind some of his most extreme legal defenses refused to say who won the 2020 election, sidestepped questions about basic democratic facts, and declined to commit to recusing himself from cases involving Trump. Senators warned that his evasions were not just embarrassing, but disqualifying, pointing to his role advancing sweeping claims of presidential immunity and his openly ideological writings attacking “woke” policies and reproductive rights. When pressed on whether a president could be held accountable for blatant abuses of power, Smith would not give a clear answer. The hearing made one thing unmistakable: this is a nominee whose loyalty to Trump and disregard for judicial independence could have lasting, dangerous consequences if he is handed a lifetime seat on the federal bench.
The Supreme Court is now weighing one of the most extreme and legally dubious policies in modern history: Donald Trump’s attempt to strip birthright citizenship from children born in the United States. In Trump v. Barbara, the justices are considering whether to uphold an executive order that would deny citizenship to roughly 200,000 babies each year, despite the clear text of the Fourteenth Amendment and more than a century of settled precedent affirming that anyone born on U.S. soil is a citizen. While lower courts have unanimously rejected the policy as unconstitutional, the Court’s decision to even hear the case has raised serious alarms about how far it may be willing to go to reshape fundamental rights. Early signals from oral arguments suggest skepticism from some justices, but with a ruling expected this summer, the future of a core constitutional guarantee now hangs in the balance.
A new op-ed from People For president Svante Myrick lays out how Donald Trump is not just challenging election norms, but actively working to rig the system in his favor ahead of 2026 and beyond. From pushing the SAVE America Act, which experts warn would block millions of eligible voters, to demanding federal control over voter data and entertaining fringe proposals to seize authority over elections, the piece describes a coordinated effort to undermine democracy itself. Trump has even boasted that these changes could lock in Republican victories for decades, exposing the real goal: not election integrity, but permanent power.
With warnings from leading experts that a future crisis could be used as a pretext to further erode democratic safeguards, the op-ed paints a stark picture of a movement willing to rewrite the rules entirely – and the urgent need to confront it.
A coordinated assault from MAGA-aligned religious-right groups is torpedoing even the most modest immigration reform, as organizations like the Family Research Council and Intercessors for America mobilize to kill the bipartisan DIGNITY Act. Despite the bill offering no path to citizenship and imposing strict conditions, these groups are branding it “amnesty” and pressuring lawmakers to reject any relief for long-term, law-abiding immigrants – exposing a movement that has abandoned compromise in favor of mass deportation at all costs. Their campaign also lays bare the hypocrisy at the heart of Trump’s coalition, undercutting allies who once reassured immigrant communities while amplifying hardline factions demanding zero exceptions. With close ties to the Trump administration and a willingness to cloak policy in religious rhetoric, these groups are not just opposing reform—they are helping drive an increasingly extreme agenda that leaves no room for humanity in immigration policy.
When democratic values feel strained and civic participation feels harder, creativity can be a powerful entry point. The Art of Saving Democracy Action Kit is an initiative from People For the American Way featuring 50 art postcards, mini posters, stickers, conversation starters, and a practical activism handbook. Showcasing work from 25 prominent artists, the kit offers tangible ways to strengthen civic engagement in your community.
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At a moment when democratic norms are being tested and the future can feel uncertain, planning ahead is one meaningful way to help sustain a healthy democracy for the generations that follow. The choices we make today shape the world future generations will inherit, from the strength of our institutions to the values that guide our communities. Estate planning is about protecting the people and causes you love, making your wishes clear, and helping ensure that what matters most to you continues to have an impact long into the future.
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