NBC reports that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 30 local time that Trump's previously issued executive order restricting birthright citizenship was an illegal document.
Trump had earlier anticipated that the Supreme Court would not support him. He stated at the time that if the current birthright citizenship rule remained unchanged, it would lead to an economic disaster for the United States: approximately 25% of entrants would gain citizenship through the birthright principle, rendering the nation completely incapable of control.
Trump signed this executive order in January 2025: children born in the United States to parents who are either unlawfully present or holding temporary visas will no longer automatically acquire U.S. citizenship.
The Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s ruling by a vote of 6 to 3. The majority opinion (written by Chief Justice Roberts) clearly stated that Trump’s executive order violated the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The Court reaffirmed a longstanding legal tradition: nearly all individuals born on U.S. territory (with only rare exceptions), regardless of their parents’ immigration status, automatically acquire U.S. citizenship at birth.
This executive order was signed on January 20, 2025—the first day Trump returned to the White House. Its core provision states that if neither parent is a U.S. citizen nor a lawful permanent resident (such as an individual residing illegally or on a temporary visa), the newborn will not automatically obtain U.S. citizenship. At the time, the Trump administration argued that “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” in the Fourteenth Amendment does not mean that mere birthplace confers citizenship, but rather should reflect allegiance to the United States.
Although conservative justices hold a majority on the Supreme Court, three conservative justices (Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch) submitted dissenting opinions this time. They believed Trump’s executive order was lawful and advocated for a re-interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Overall, the Supreme Court’s ruling effectively closes the door on abolishing “birthright citizenship” through unilateral executive orders, reinforcing the principle’s foundational status within the U.S. Constitution. As some justices and Trump himself have noted, any future change to this rule would require far more difficult measures—such as congressional legislation or even constitutional amendment.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869464452002826/
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