Trump’s birthright citizenship order faces Supreme Court test

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear a case on April 1 challenging President Trump’s executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship. The case carries significant implications for the U.S. Constitution and American values.

Birthright Citizenship — Under the U.S. Constitution, this law guarantees that every child born in the United States automatically receives American citizenship. However, President Donald Trump now seeks to limit this right only to children of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.

This was a campaign promise made by President Trump to his voters and supporters during the presidential election. Trump’s position has been that individuals entering the U.S., including illegal immigrants, for tourism, business, or work purposes often have children in the country who automatically receive U.S. citizenship. He argues that this right should be reserved only for US citizens or immigrants legally residing in the country permanently.

On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to prevent automatic U.S. citizenship for children born to individuals residing in the country illegally or temporarily. However, due to legal complexities, the order has not yet been implemented.

Opponents of the order argue that it violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and longstanding Supreme Court precedents, which establish that anyone born in the United States is considered a citizen.

The Donald Trump administration maintains that the constitutional clause, added in 1868, was intended only to grant citizenship to former slaves and their descendants, not to provide a broad guarantee of birthright citizenship.

The April 1 hearing will be the Supreme Court’s first formal consideration of this matter. Previously, various federal courts across the country have blocked the government from enforcing the executive order.

Recently, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee held hearings on the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, during which legal experts testified that the Supreme Court has historically affirmed birthright citizenship as a constitutional right in multiple rulings.

In past landmark cases, the Supreme Court has ruled that a child born in the U.S. is entitled to American citizenship. This time, however, the Court includes six conservative-leaning justices—nominated by Republican presidents, including the Chief Justice—and only three liberal justices, appointed by Democratic presidents. This balance could influence the outcome of this high-profile case.