The Constitution Still Stands

Supreme Court Sides with Sanity

Welcome back, my dear defenders. I hope your weekend was relaxing, that you were able to recharge and spend some time with family or friends. To reconnect with yourself. After all, as I was reminded this weekend by none other than the brilliant designer Paul Tazewell, your voice, your experiences matter — because you are speaking in a voice no one else can share.

And as we live through times that feel increasingly scripted by dystopia, I believe it’s essential — essential — to celebrate the wins just as fiercely as we fight the losses. Those wins give us courage. They offer a breath of hope. And as rebellions are so often built on hope, today we raise our teacups in triumph.

In a rare moment of clarity and courage, the United States Supreme Court has drawn a bold line in the sand: the Constitution still matters. In a 7-2 decision, the Court blocked a dangerous overreach of state power in a case that could have greenlit mass deportations — without due process, without warning, and without recourse.

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The Case: Lawfare Meets Its Limits

At the heart of the case was a controversial policy by the Trump administration, which sought to use the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to expedite the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants without standard legal procedures. Many of these individuals were accused of gang affiliations based on tenuous evidence, such as tattoos, and were denied court hearings before being deported to El Salvador's high-security prisons .

The Supreme Court, in a 7–2 decision, temporarily blocked these deportations, emphasizing that the detainees were not provided sufficient due process. Specifically, the Court criticized the administration’s practice of issuing only 24-hour notices before removal, without adequate information to contest the deportation .

This decision did something rare in our age of judicial activism: it checked executive power, rather than expanded it. It reminded us that even the President must follow the rules of engagement when it comes to enforcing immigration laws.

“You don’t get to deport individuals without due process. That’s not law — that’s a violation of constitutional rights.”

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A Moment for Amy Coney Barrett

Let’s talk about a name many progressives love to loathe: Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Yes, the same Barrett who joined the majority in overturning Roe v. Wade.

And yet—while we may not always agree with her positions, we must acknowledge this: she is a consistent and principled defender of the rule of law and the Constitution. Her decisions reflect a deep commitment to legal interpretation rooted in her understanding of the text—not in popularity or party loyalty.

Time and again, she has shown a willingness to step aside from cases where her impartiality might be questioned, a rare and refreshing gesture in an age where judicial ethics are often treated as optional. Her record demonstrates a steady resolve to uphold the legal framework of this nation, even when it puts her at odds with the party that appointed her.

The ire from the left, while perhaps understandable, is not entirely warranted. If you want Justice Barrett’s support on an issue, don’t waste your breath with personal attacks—make your legal argument. Do the work. Present your case.

I disagreed with Justice Scalia many times—and often found myself frustrated by his rulings—but I never doubted that he believed in the Constitution and took his duty to it seriously. I believe the same of Justice Barrett.

And to those on the right currently going cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs over her independence from the executive branch: perhaps take notes. She was not appointed to serve the President. She was given a lifetime appointment to uphold and interpret the law of this country—independent of and without oversight by the executive.

She’s doing exactly that.

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Why It Matters: Liberty Is a Muscle

This case isn't just about immigration. It's about any time the state seeks to bypass your rights in the name of efficiency. It's about ensuring that the government — at every level — is held accountable when it starts using the law like a weapon instead of a shield.

Let’s not forget our history. From the internment of Japanese-Americans in World War II to the post-9/11 surveillance state, America has repeatedly sacrificed liberty on the altar of fear.

These moments often begin with a simple premise: “We just need to make people feel safer.” But safety without justice is not peace — it’s submission.

And the Constitution? It's not a suggestion. It’s a contract. One that binds not just citizens, but also those who govern.

“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands… may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”
— James Madison

This case reminded us that restraint is patriotic. That true liberty means limiting even the power we think we like.

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Meanwhile in Congress: A Different Kind of Overreach

As we celebrate this win, we must also shine a light on another fight still underway — one that could harm millions.

The House of Representatives is advancing a sweeping, regressive budget proposal: the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Beautiful, it is not.

Here’s what’s on the chopping block:

$880 billion in Medicaid cuts
Elimination of ACA (Affordable Care Act) subsidies
New work requirements for Medicaid recipients
Over $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, mostly benefiting the wealthy and corporations

According to nonpartisan estimates, over 13 million Americans could lose health coverage by 2034 if this passes.

Major health organizations — including the American Cancer Society and American Lung Association — are sounding the alarm. And even moderate Republicans are scrambling to justify the damage. Though this author finds it worth noting that of the Republicans who voted against in committee last week, few were upset with

This isn’t budget balancing. It’s economic cruelty disguised as policy.

“They say it’s about balance sheets. But you can’t balance a budget on broken backs and empty stomachs.”

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What You Can Do

Last week’s Supreme Court decision proves that resistance works — and that vigilance matters. So first take heart in this knowledge. The odious orange and the ever growing cast of fox news hosts who govern our country want you to feel like you are alone.

They want you to be afraid to speak out, to challenge what you know to be wrong or can see with your own eyes. If nothing else take from this article, my dear defenders, you are NOT alone.

Together we are far more powerful than any government, and we must continue to resist those who would deny the people their rights. Our work is far from over. Here’s how you can take action:

1. Call your representatives.
Tell them you oppose Medicaid cuts and ACA subsidy rollbacks. Make your voice heard — loudly and clearly.

2. Share this story.
Most people won’t hear about this decision or the budget bill unless we tell them. Forward this newsletter. Post it. Talk about it.

3. Support on-the-ground groups.
Organizations like the ACLU, National Immigration Law Center, and health advocacy coalitions are fighting on the front lines. They need resources and visibility.

Today we cheer. Tomorrow, we challenge. And the day after that — we change things.

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The Final Word

This ruling was more than a legal win. It was a moral one. It reminded us that in this fraying democracy, the Constitution still holds. And as long as it does, so will we.

Even now, small acts of resistance are blooming across the country. Teachers refusing to ban books. Parents standing up at school board meetings. Lawyers taking pro bono cases for asylum seekers. Neighbors organizing for food access. The machinery of democracy may creak—but it still turns.

And as we face the political theater and constitutional erosion of today, I leave you with the words of South Carolina’s own Septima Poinsette Clark—a daughter of Charleston and a mother of the Civil Rights Movement:

“I believe unconditionally in the ability of people to respond when they are told the truth. We need to be taught to study rather than believe, to inquire rather than to affirm.”

Let us speak the truth boldly. Let us study the law fiercely. Let us inquire relentlessly. Because defenders, this is how liberty endures.

Raise your teacups. We've earned this moment. But don’t rest too long. The next fight is already calling.

Until our next bold move,
Lady LiberTea

Septima Clark teaching at a Citizenship School on the South Carolina Sea Islands. Photograph by Ida Berman, courtesy of the Highlander Research and Education Center Archives. Source: https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/septima-clark-born/