New Opinions: Breaking Down the Five June 23rd Opinions

Overview:Five opinions released June 23rd, 2026 — one day, across immigration, international human rights, foreign sovereign immunity, religious freedom, and property rights.Four of five decisions split 6–3: identical conservative majority, identical liberal dissent, four consecutive times.The fifth — a Michigan family's $2,241 tax bill and a home sold at auction for $76,008 — drew near-unanimous agreement across ideological lines.Every conservative Justice authored a majority; Chief Justice Roberts joined all five without writing one.Justice Jackson led all Justices in separate opinion output — three opinions across the five cases.This episode breaks down all five decisions: authors, vote splits, key holdings, separate opinions, and real-world consequences.Blanche, Acting Attorney General versus Lau | No. 25–429Border officers need not hold clear and convincing evidence before treating a returning lawful permanent resident as an admission-seeker based on a crime involving moral turpitude.6–3. Justice Thomas authored the majority, joined by Roberts, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett.Justice Jackson dissented, joined by Sotomayor and Kagan.Second Circuit vacated and remanded.Cisco Systems, Inc. versus Doe | No. 24–856Courts may not create new causes of action under the Alien Tort Statute; the Torture Victim Protection Act does not cover aiding-and-abetting liability.6–3. Justice Barrett authored the majority, joined by Roberts, Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh.Justice Jackson concurred in part and dissented in part, joined by Kagan.Justice Sotomayor dissented, joined by Kagan and Jackson as to Parts I–III and V.Ninth Circuit reversed and remanded.Exxon Mobil Corp. versus Corporación Cimex, S.A. (Cuba) | No. 24–699The Helms-Burton Act itself abrogates the sovereign immunity of Cuban agencies and instrumentalities; plaintiffs need not separately satisfy FSIA exceptions.6–3. Justice Kavanaugh authored the majority, joined by Roberts, Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, and Barrett.Justice Kagan dissented, joined by Sotomayor and Jackson.D.C. Circuit reversed and remanded.Landor versus Louisiana Department of Corrections and Public Safety | No. 23–1197Individual state prison officers may not face personal liability under RLUIPA unless they voluntarily and knowingly consented to answer suits under the statute.6–3. Justice Gorsuch authored the majority, joined by Roberts, Thomas, Alito, Kavanaugh, and Barrett.Justice Jackson dissented, joined by Sotomayor and Kagan.Fifth Circuit affirmed.Pung, Personal Representative of the Estate of Pung versus Isabella County, Michigan | No. 25–95Just compensation following a tax sale equals the auction sale price, not the property's hypothetical fair market value; the Eighth Amendment Excessive Fines Clause claim fails.Near-unanimous. Justice Alito authored the majority, joined by Roberts, Sotomayor, Kagan, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett, and Jackson, and by Thomas except as to Part II–B.Justice Sotomayor filed a concurring opinion, joined by Gorsuch and Jackson.Justice Thomas filed an opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment, joined by Gorsuch except as to footnote 1.Sixth Circuit vacated and remanded.