Supreme Court Rules on Immigration Protections, Gun Regulations and Product Liability

The Supreme Court handed down three significant decisions Thursday that affect immigration enforcement, firearms regulation, and product liability law.

The justices ruled to allow the Trump administration to terminate deportation protections covering residents from Haiti and Syria. The decision removes protections that had been granted to nationals of those countries under existing programs.

In a separate ruling, the Court invalidated a Hawaii gun law that restricted firearm purchases. The decision centered on state regulations governing who may obtain firearms and under what circumstances.

The Court also ruled that Monsanto bears no liability in lawsuits filed by plaintiffs over its Roundup herbicide product. The decision limits the ability of individuals to pursue civil claims against the company regarding the chemical.

Supreme Court analyst Amy Howe, co-founder of SCOTUSblog, discussed the rulings with correspondent Geoff Bennett. Howe examined how each decision affects ongoing policy debates and legal standards in their respective areas.

The immigration ruling permits changes to deportation deferral programs that had provided temporary legal status to nationals of countries experiencing armed conflict or natural disaster. The Hawaii gun decision applies established Second Amendment precedent to state-level regulations. The Monsanto judgment resolves questions about manufacturer responsibility in product-related civil litigation.