The Latino Action Network opposes the U.S. Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, issued April 29, 2026, which dismantles Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This is a direct assault on the political power of Black, Latino, and Brown communities. It is a green light for politicians to draw maps designed to silence us.
For six decades, Section 2 gave communities of color a legal tool to challenge redistricting maps that diluted their voting power regardless of discriminatory intent. Callais destroys that framework by raising the evidentiary bar at every stage of a Section 2 challenge, including a new requirement that plaintiffs prove present-day intentional discrimination. As Justice Kagan wrote in dissent, Section 2 is now "all but a dead letter."
The ruling struck down Louisiana's remedial map drawn to give Black voters fair representation after years of litigation. The New York Times estimates up to 12 House seats could flip Republican without VRA protections. These are seats held by members who fight for immigrant rights, education equity, healthcare access, and economic justice.
There are 148 majority-minority U.S. House Districts across 28 states. How many get redrawn before the 2026 midterms is unclear. In New Jersey, one of the fastest-growing Latino states in the nation, this ruling threatens gains our communities spent decades building.
"This ruling is a declaration of war on Black and Brown political power," said Javier Robles, President of the Latino Action Network. "The Supreme Court handed politicians a roadmap to pack and crack our communities into irrelevance. We will not accept it. And here is what they miscalculated: suppression radicalizes. Every attempt to silence us has made us louder, more organized, and more determined."
"We are heading into the most consequential midterm elections of our lifetime, and the Supreme Court just handed our opponents a weapon," said Maria J. Andrade, Vice President of the Latino Action Network. "We will register voters. We will turn out our communities. We will flip every seat they think they've protected."
Two in three voters, including majorities of Republicans and Independents, support a nationwide ban on gerrymandering. Congress must act. LAN calls on New Jersey's congressional delegation to support new federal voting rights legislation immediately.
About the Latino Action Network
The Latino Action Network (LAN) is a New Jersey-based 501(c)(4) grassroots civic advocacy and community organizing organization founded in 2009. LAN is dedicated to advancing the social, economic, and political empowerment of Latino and immigrant communities across New Jersey through advocacy, education, and civic engagement. For more information, visit lan.nationbuilder.com.
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