The U.S. Supreme Court is set to rule on whether President Donald Trump can enforce an executive order restricting birthright citizenship, a decision that could reshape immigration policy and constitutional interpretation.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to deliver a landmark ruling on Tuesday on whether President Donald Trump can enforce an executive order restricting birthright citizenship in the United States.
The decision is one of the most closely watched cases of the court’s current term and could have far-reaching implications for immigration policy and constitutional rights.
The case challenges an executive order issued by Trump on his first day back in office in 2025, directing U.S. agencies to deny automatic citizenship to children born in the United States if neither parent is a U.S. citizen nor a lawful permanent resident, commonly known as a green card holder.
A lower court had blocked the order, ruling that it could not take effect while legal challenges continued.
Tuesday marks the final day of rulings for the Supreme Court’s current term, which began in October.
Opponents of the executive order argue that it violates the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which has long been interpreted as guaranteeing citizenship to nearly everyone born on American soil.
The amendment states:
“All persons born or naturalised in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.”
Trump’s administration, however, argues that the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” does not automatically apply to children born to undocumented immigrants or foreign nationals temporarily residing in the United States.
Under the administration’s interpretation, citizenship should be limited to children whose parents owe primary allegiance to the United States, including citizens and lawful permanent residents.
The policy would affect children born to undocumented immigrants as well as those born to foreign nationals in the United States on temporary visas, including students and foreign workers.
The legal challenge before the Supreme Court arose from a class-action lawsuit filed in New Hampshire by parents and children whose citizenship status would be affected by the executive order.
For decades, the 14th Amendment has been interpreted as guaranteeing birthright citizenship, with only limited exceptions, including children born to foreign diplomats or members of an occupying enemy force.
The case comes as immigration remains one of the central issues of Trump’s administration, which has introduced several measures aimed at tightening both legal and illegal immigration.
Critics have accused the administration of pursuing immigration policies that disproportionately affect certain racial and religious groups, allegations the administration has rejected.
Legal experts have warned that if implemented, the executive order could affect the legal status of an estimated 250,000 babies born annually in the United States and require millions of families to prove the citizenship status of their newborns.
The Supreme Court, which currently has a 6-3 conservative majority, heard arguments in the case on April 1, when Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to attend oral arguments before the nation’s highest court.
Although he attended the proceedings, Trump departed before the hearing concluded.
The ruling is expected just days before the July 4 Independence Day celebrations, when the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding.
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