Supreme Court opens new term Monday: guns, voting and immigration on the docket

The Supreme Court opens its 2026-27 term on Monday with a docket that touches guns, voting, immigration and climate change, according to PBS News and other outlets.

The justices have agreed to hear 30 cases so far, PBS reported, and they keep adding more. On Thursday alone the court added three, including a challenge to the Trump administration's policy of holding immigrants without bond hearings, according to SCOTUSblog.

## Monday: climate change and veterans' benefits

The first argument, on Oct. 5, is Suncor Energy v. Commissioners of Boulder County, according to the court's official calendar. The question is whether state and local governments can sue energy companies for damage tied to climate change. Boulder County and the city of Boulder sued Suncor and Exxon Mobil in 2018 seeking money, PBS reported. Justice Samuel Alito recused himself from the case on Sept. 28.

The court also hears Johnson v. United States Congress on Monday, a case about veterans' disability benefits and which courts can hear such disputes, according to SCOTUSblog.

## Guns: are AR-15 bans constitutional?

In Viramontes v. Cook County, the court will consider whether bans on semiautomatic weapons like the AR-15 violate the Second Amendment. The case challenges an Illinois ban, and arguments are expected in December, PBS reported.

It would be the first time the justices address whether bans on specific types of weapons are constitutional, according to The Spokesman-Review. Duke law professor Joseph Blocher told the paper the ruling could affect rules on "high-caliber rifles, machine guns, high-capacity magazines, bump stocks."

Gun rights supporters argue such bans restrict weapons that many law-abiding Americans own. Supporters of the bans argue they are reasonable public safety measures.

## Voting: proving citizenship to register

Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota asks whether Arizona can require people registering to vote to provide documentary proof of citizenship beyond what federal law requires, according to The Spokesman-Review and Gray DC. Arguments are scheduled for December.

Supporters of Arizona's rules say they protect election integrity. Challengers argue they conflict with the federal National Voter Registration Act and could block eligible citizens from registering.

## Immigration: deportations and detention

Two cases involve Trump administration immigration policies, PBS reported. Department of Homeland Security v. D.V.D. asks whether immigrants can be deported to countries where they have no ties. The court already issued an emergency ruling on Sept. 29 allowing those third-country deportations to continue while the case proceeds.

Rhoney v. Barbosa da Cunha asks whether immigrants arrested inside the U.S. must be held without a chance at a bond hearing, a policy that reverses past practice for long-term residents, according to PBS.

The court will also hear St. Mary's Catholic Parish v. Roy, on whether Colorado can deny universal preschool funding to a Catholic preschool that won't sign the program's nondiscrimination agreement.

## The emergency docket

Many of the court's biggest decisions now come through its emergency or "shadow" docket, where cases are decided quickly without full arguments. President Donald Trump has used that process more than any previous president, according to Gray DC. Critics say it lets the court step in before lower courts finish their work, according to Gray DC.

## What it means for you

If you are registering to vote, buying or owning a firearm, living in the U.S. on an immigration status, or paying attention to climate policy, this term could change the rules that apply to you. The court has a 6-3 conservative majority, according to The Spokesman-Review. Arguments begin Monday, but decisions in the biggest cases will come later in the term. NextGen America will explain each ruling as it lands.