WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld birthright citizenship, striking down President Donald Trump's executive order that sought to restrict automatic citizenship for children born on U.S. soil to parents who are not citizens or lawful permanent residents.
In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled that the executive order violates the 14th Amendment's Citizenship Clause, which states that "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."
The ruling affirms the long-standing interpretation of birthright citizenship, rooted in the 1898 precedent United States v. Wong Kim Ark, which extended citizenship to children born in the U.S. regardless of their parents' immigration status.
Trump signed the executive order on Jan. 20, 2025, his first day back in office, directing federal agencies to deny citizenship documents to certain children born after Feb. 20, 2025. Lower courts had blocked the order, calling it unconstitutional.
The case, Trump v. Barbara, reached the high court after challenges from affected families and advocacy groups. The majority opinion held that the order exceeded presidential authority and contradicted constitutional guarantees.
Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch dissented, arguing for a narrower reading of the Citizenship Clause.
The decision represents a significant setback for Trump's immigration agenda, which has prioritized stricter controls on birthright citizenship and other measures. White House officials said they were reviewing the ruling.
Advocates for immigrants hailed the outcome as preserving a core principle of American law. Estimates suggest the policy could have affected hundreds of thousands of births annually.
The Supreme Court did not address broader immigration enforcement in the ruling. Details on implementation and any further legal steps remain unclear as the situation develops.
