The U.S. Supreme Court recently reaffirmed birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment, striking down President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to deny citizenship to children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants and certain temporary visa holders. The Court ruled that such children are citizens at birth because they are “born in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,” as required by the Constitution.
Key Points
- The decision came in the case Trump v. Barbara.
- The Court voted 6–3 to invalidate the executive order.
- Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion.
- The ruling reaffirmed the long-standing interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment that nearly everyone born on U.S. soil is automatically a U.S. citizen.
Why It Matters
The decision preserves a constitutional principle that has existed since the ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868 and was previously upheld in United States v. Wong Kim Ark. The Court concluded that birthright citizenship cannot be eliminated through executive action and would require a constitutional amendment or a different constitutional interpretation.
Simple Summary
If a child is born in the United States, that child remains a U.S. citizen at birth in almost all circumstances, regardless of the immigration status of the parents. The Supreme Court’s ruling confirmed that the 14th Amendment continues to protect that right.
