The US Supreme Court on Tuesday, June 30, rejected President Donald Trump's bid to restrict birthright citizenship in a 6-3 ruling. This decision strikes down an executive order issued on the first day of the president's second term, which sought to deny automatic citizenship to children born in the US to parents who were in the country illegally or on temporary visas.
The court upheld a broad conception of birthright citizenship, relying on the US Constitution and recent federal laws. The ruling affirms the 14th Amendment, 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 where they reside. Legal experts noted the clarity of the amendment's wording, though the court's division was slightly surprising.
The ruling represents a major setback for one of the flagship initiatives of President Trump's anti-immigration agenda and crackdown. This defeat follows a February ruling that struck down the president's reciprocal tariff policy. The decision ensures that nearly everyone born on US soil continues to be granted automatic citizenship, avoiding sweeping political, economic, and social ramifications.
President Trump, who attended oral arguments in the case, brushed off the loss and described the ruling as too bad for the country. While pledging to challenge the ruling, the president stated on social media that the policy could be implemented through legislation in Congress.