The United States Supreme Court has dealt a significant setback to former President Donald Trump, rejecting his attempt to limit birthright citizenship. In a 6–3 ruling, the court upheld a long-standing interpretation of the Constitution that grants automatic citizenship to nearly all babies born on American soil, according to BBC News.
At the heart of the case was Trump’s executive order, which sought to deny citizenship to children born to parents who are in the country without legal status or who hold temporary visas. The order sparked intense debate across the country, raising questions about immigration, identity, and the meaning of citizenship.
However, a majority of the nine justices declined to support the move. They stood by a legal tradition rooted in the 14th Amendment, adopted more than 150 years ago after the Civil War. The amendment clearly states that anyone “born or naturalized” in the United States is a citizen. For the court, changing this principle would require more than a presidential order, it would demand a fundamental shift in constitutional interpretation.
Opponents of Trump’s policy argued that the executive order directly violated this amendment. The court’s decision reflects that view, reinforcing the idea that citizenship by birth is a deeply embedded right in American law.
The ruling places the United States among about 30 countries worldwide that follow this practice, known as birthright citizenship. It also highlights the limits of presidential power when it comes to altering constitutional rights.
For Trump, the decision marks a major legal and political defeat. For many others, it reaffirms a principle that has shaped the nation’s identity for generations: that being born in America is, in itself, enough to belong.
