In brief
In a move that could reshape American citizenship laws, President Trump's administration is asking the Supreme Court to uphold an executive order that declares children born to non-citizen parents are not entitled to citizenship. This order contradicts over a century of legal precedent established by the 14th Amendment. The judicial outcome may lead to significant impacts on immigration policy and citizenship rights across the United States. The case is set to be reviewed by the Supreme Court, with decisions expected by summer.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration is appealing to the Supreme Court to affirm his executive order regarding birthright citizenship. This order asserts that children born to foreign parents who are in the U.S. without legal status do not automatically receive American citizenship.
Details about the appeal were shared with the Associated Press over the weekend and set the stage for a potential consequential ruling that could arrive by early summer. The legal challenge could redefine citizenship rights that have been intact for over 125 years, amid increasing scrutiny and challenges in lower courts that have halted the enforcement of the policy.
Solicitor General D. John Sauer criticized lower court rulings, stating they undermine national border security and grant citizenship to “hundreds of thousands of unqualified people.” Meanwhile, civil rights advocates argue that the order violates constitutional principles, specifically the 14th Amendment, which was designed to ensure citizenship for all born on U.S. soil.
The Supreme Court has yet to decide whether to take up the case, with arguments unlikely until late winter or early spring.
