US Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship
The US Supreme Court has rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to restrict birthright citizenship, ruling that his executive order violated the 14th Amendment. The decision preserves automatic citizenship for most children born on American soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
US Supreme Court Birthright Citizenship Ruling
The court delivered a 6-3 ruling against Trump’s executive order, which sought to deny citizenship to children born in the United States if neither parent was a US citizen or lawful permanent resident.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, stating that the Constitution’s citizenship guarantee continues to apply to those born in the country and subject to its jurisdiction. The ruling upheld lower court decisions that had blocked the order.
Trump Executive Order Rejected
Trump had issued the order on his first day back in office as part of a broader immigration crackdown. His administration argued that children of undocumented immigrants and temporary visa holders should not automatically receive citizenship.
The court rejected that interpretation, reaffirming the long-standing understanding of the 14th Amendment. The decision also referred to the historic 1898 Wong Kim Ark case, which recognised birthright citizenship for children born in the US to foreign parents.
14th Amendment Citizenship Protection
The 14th Amendment, ratified after the Civil War, states that all persons born or naturalised in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction are citizens. The Supreme Court said there was no basis to depart from that constitutional principle.
Trump criticised the ruling and called for Congress to act on the issue. However, the judgment marks a major legal setback to one of his most significant immigration policy proposals.
