A major legal battle over birthright citizenship in the United States is moving toward a Supreme Court decision that could fundamentally change who qualifies as an American citizen.
At the center is an executive order issued by Donald Trump in 2025 that seeks to deny automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. if their parents are not citizens or permanent residents.
The case challenges the long-standing interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which has traditionally guaranteed citizenship to nearly anyone born on U.S. soil.
Trump’s administration argues that this interpretation has been applied too broadly and should exclude children of undocumented immigrants or temporary visitors.
Opponents, including civil rights groups and multiple states, say the move is unconstitutional and contradicts more than a century of legal precedent, especially the 1898 Supreme Court ruling affirming birthright citizenship.
The stakes are significant. Analysts estimate that up to 250,000 babies born annually in the U.S. could be affected if the policy is upheld.
The case has already faced setbacks in lower courts, where judges blocked the order, calling it inconsistent with constitutional protections.
It has also exposed tensions between Trump and the judiciary, including skepticism from some conservative justices about redefining such a long-established constitutional principle.
A final ruling from the Supreme Court is expected to determine whether the U.S. continues to follow birthright citizenship as historically understood or adopts a more restrictive standard.
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