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The Supreme Court's say on birthright citizenship; TPS and morality; DeSantis' budget vetoes

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Demonstrators rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court
Mariam Zuhaib
/
AP
Demonstrators rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court in April 2026 as justices hear oral arguments on whether President Donald Trump's order on birthright citizenship. In June, justices rejected the order, citing the 14th Amendment.

President Donald Trump had issued an executive order that said children born to people in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.

The U.S. Supreme Court disagreed. In a momentous decision, the justices relied on a long-settled understanding of the 14th Amendment, adopted after the Civil War in 1868.

In other Tuesday rulings, the court upheld laws in roughly half the states that prohibit transgender girls and women from playing on their public school and college sport teams and struck down limits on party spending in federal elections.

A panel of legal experts joins the show to help explain what the decisions mean for Florida.

Also, more on the impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling last week that allows the Trump administration to cancel Temporary Protected Status for more than 250,000 Haitians and Syrians in the country.

Plus, what did the Tampa Bay area gain or lose in Gov. DeSantis’ final budget — and line vetoes?

A landmark immigration decision

(0:00) Supreme Court ruling has reshaped the debate over birthright citizenship in America. Legal and immigration experts discuss the decision and constitutional questions behind it. They also boil down how the decision could affect immigrant families across Florida.

GUESTS:

  • Nancy Guan, WUSF reporter covering immigration
  • Lou Virelli, professor of constitutional law at Stetson College of Law
  • Arturo Rios, immigration lawyer and adjunct professor at Stetson College of Law
  • Paul Chavez, litigation director with Americans for Immigrant Justice

Faith beyond the law

(20:55) The Supreme Court’s immigration decisions have legal and human consequences. A Florida faith leader explains why moral questions matter in the debate. We hear how churches are supporting families affected by policy changes.

GUEST:

  • Bishop Tom Berlin, Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church

Florida’s new financial plan

(35:45) The budget kicks in Wednesday after the governor approved $117.6 billion in spending. The plan includes teacher pay, Everglades restoration and large reserves. But several projects — including some for colleges and corrections — were vetoed. We look at what’s funded, what was cut and what comes next.

GUEST:

  • Douglas Soule, WUSF “Your Florida” reporter

Artificial intelligence wants your vote

(41:47) AI and deepfakes have gotten so good, experts say it's hard to figure out what's real. This election season, as more campaigns turn to AI-generated video ads, it'll be important to fact-check what you see and hear. WUSF's Meghan Bowman tells us more.

I am the host of WUSF's Florida Matters Live & Local, where I get to indulge my curiosity in people and explore the endlessly fascinating stories that connect this community.
As the executive producer of WUSF's Florida Matters Live & Local, I aim to create a show and podcast that makes all Floridians feel seen and heard. That's also my assignment as a producer for The Florida Roundup. In any role, my goal is always to amplify the voices often overlooked.
As an engagement reporter and producer for WUSF's Florida Matters Live & Local and a Report for America Corps member, my goal is to bring Floridians on our show and connect their stories with the greater community. I want our listeners to not just feel like the show is for them, but literally about them, and hope they feel inspired to reach out and tell us about their lives.
Quincy Walters is a producer for WUSF's Florida Matters Live & Local,
Claire Macchiarola is a WUSF Rush Family Florida Matters Live & Local intern for summer of 2026.