Instead of insisting that the schools be immediately integrated, the supreme court decreed that its decision should be enforced with “all deliberate speed”. In effect, the court punted, leaving the interpretation of this hard-to-parse mandate in the hands of lower federal court judges. Fast forward to today, with a shout-out to the gutsiness of federal district court judges who have stood up to the president and defended the constitution. In standing up to the president, these judges are putting the safety of themselves and their families at risk. The administration can appeal to the court of appeals, where it has been more likely to prevail, and ultimately to the supreme court, whose Republican appointees have voted, often as a bloc, to uphold Trump’s actions.

Source: The Guardian March 23, 2026 05:10 UTC