WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court struck down an executive order on Tuesday that sought to end birthright citizenship, affirming that the Constitution guarantees citizenship to nearly everyone born on U.S. soil.
The landmark 6-3 ruling blocks denial of citizenship to children of illegal immigrants and some temporary visitors, with dissents from Justices Thomas, Gorsuch, and Alito.
As CBS News reports:
In a divided decision in the case Trump v. Barbara, the Supreme Court found that Mr. Trump’s policy is unlawful.
With its decision, the Supreme Court has now invalidated a second of Mr. Trump’s signature initiatives from his second term, joining its ruling striking down many of his tariffs in February. The president signed his directive aiming to restrict birthright citizenship on his first day back in the White House as part of a sweeping crackdown on immigration.
In its decision, the court ruled that the executive branch cannot bypass the clear text of the 14th Amendment. The majority opinion stated that the Citizenship Clause provides an automatic, unconditional grant of citizenship to children born within U.S. territory, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
President Donald Trump said Monday he would abide by the Court’s upcoming decision on his administration’s effort, even as he urged the justices to rule against the current policy.
“In terms of what’s best for the country, it would be great if they didn’t allow it,” Trump said.
Tuesday’s ruling aligns with the court’s 1898 precedent in United States v. Wong Kim Ark. During oral arguments, several conservative justices expressed skepticism over the administration’s narrow historical interpretation, ultimately joining the liberal bloc to reject the policy.
The dissenting minority argued that the original intent of the 14th Amendment was never meant to extend citizenship to children of parents who entered the country unlawfully. Today’s ruling permanently blocks the policy change, protecting the citizenship status of an estimated 255,000 children born annually in the United States.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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