Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Case on Birthright Citizenship
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in a closely watched case that could reshape the interpretation of birthright citizenship and the scope of the 14th Amendment.
The case centers on an executive order issued by President Donald Trump directing federal agencies to deny citizenship to children born in the United States to parents who are either in the country unlawfully or on temporary visas. Lower courts have blocked the policy, setting up a legal showdown at the nation’s highest court.
At issue is the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to those born in the United States and “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” That language has long been interpreted to guarantee birthright citizenship.
Trump has defended his policy, arguing that the Constitution was not intended to apply to all children born on U.S. soil and should not extend to those whose parents lack permanent legal status.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticized the current system, saying it allows foreign nationals to obtain citizenship for their children “For Pay.”
“Birthright Citizenship is not about rich people from China, and the rest of the World, who want their children, and hundreds of thousands more, For Pay, to ridiculously become citizens of the United States of America,” he wrote.
He added: “It is about the BABIES OF SLAVES! We are the only Country in the World that dignifies this subject with even discussion.”
Trump also criticized the judiciary, writing: “The World is getting rich selling citizenships to our Country, while at the same time laughing at how STUPID our U.S. Court System has become.”
“Dumb Judges and Justices will not a great Country make!”
Opponents of the executive order, including civil rights groups and several states, argue that longstanding legal precedent supports birthright citizenship and that the executive branch cannot override constitutional guarantees.
The outcome of the case could have far-reaching implications for immigration policy and the legal definition of citizenship, potentially affecting thousands of births each year.
Birthright citizenship in the United States is rooted in the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868 after the Civil War to ensure citizenship for formerly enslaved people and overturn the Dred Scott decision.
In 1898, the Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Wong Kim Ark that children born in the United States to foreign parents are citizens, a precedent that has guided U.S. law for more than a century.
Legal scholars say the case could test the limits of executive power and potentially revisit long-settled constitutional doctrine, though the weight of precedent remains significant.
The case has drawn global attention, as many countries grant citizenship based on parentage rather than birthplace. The United States has long followed a broader interpretation.
The justices are expected to rule later this year in what could become one of the most consequential constitutional decisions in decades. (Source: IANS)
