US Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship in blow to Trump

July 1, 2026

The US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to uphold birthright citizenship, rejecting President Trump's executive order that attempted to end the 150-year-old constitutional guarantee. Chief Justice John Roberts affirmed that children born on US soil to undocumented immigrants or temporary visitors are citizens under the 14th Amendment, which was originally passed after the Civil War to grant citizenship to freed slaves. Trump responded by vowing to pursue legislative action to end birthright citizenship, despite the ruling representing a significant defeat for his immigration agenda.

Who is affected

Children born in the US to undocumented immigrants and temporary visitors
Undocumented immigrants and temporary visitors in the US
President Donald Trump and his administration
Civil rights groups and immigration advocates
White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries
The three dissenting justices (Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Samuel Alito)

What action is being taken

President Trump is vowing to continue fighting to end birthright citizenship through congressional legislation rather than executive order or constitutional amendment.

Why it matters

This ruling preserves a fundamental 150-year-old constitutional right that defines American citizenship and affects hundreds of thousands of children born annually in the United States. The decision represents a major constraint on presidential power to unilaterally alter constitutional protections through executive orders. It maintains the broad interpretation of the 14th Amendment that has been in place since 1868, ensuring that citizenship remains accessible to all people born on US soil regardless of their parents' immigration status, which civil rights groups view as essential to American democracy and equal protection under the law.

What's next

President Trump has called on Congress to begin work on legislation to end birthright citizenship. Trump stated that "no long and unwieldy constitutional amendment is necessary" and that Congress should start this work immediately.

Read full article from source: BBC