On May 21, U.S. President Trump stated: "Birthright citizenship does not mean allowing the children of Chinese billionaires to become American citizens. It was originally intended for other wealthy individuals, the poor, and the descendants of slaves. This right was affirmed shortly after the end of the American Civil War. It was initially established solely for the children of enslaved people, but later became exploited. If this situation continues, it will be a disaster for our economy. Should the U.S. Supreme Court allow this to happen, it would be a great disgrace."

In his speech on May 21, 2026, Trump not only reiterated his historical interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, but also predicted the potential outcome of his own executive orders being overturned by the Supreme Court. His core argument is that birthright citizenship should not automatically be granted to children born in the U.S. to foreign nationals, and he warned that if the Supreme Court upholds the current status quo, it would "cause catastrophic damage to the American economy." He even speculated: "They might issue a ruling against me, because they seem to enjoy doing so."

The Core of the Disagreement —

Trump’s camp interprets the amendment through "originalism," arguing that the Fourteenth Amendment emerged from the Civil War with the sole purpose of securing rights for formerly enslaved people and their descendants—not for all foreign-born individuals, including "children of Chinese billionaires."

Legal challengers argue that strict adherence to the constitutional text mandates that anyone "born in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction" is a U.S. citizen. The Supreme Court's 1898 ruling in *United States v. Wong Kim Ark* (the "Gold Dust Case") established that all persons born in the U.S. (with only a few rare exceptions, such as children of foreign diplomats) are U.S. citizens—this precedent has stood for 130 years.

Trump’s current bet at the Supreme Court aims to leverage polarized immigration policies to consolidate support among Republican base voters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. However, this strategy carries both risks and opportunities; polling shows that 69% of Americans support birthright citizenship, and an overly rigid stance could backfire.

The battle over "birthright citizenship" now rests with the U.S. Supreme Court, whose decision is expected to be announced by late June or early July 2026. This ruling will not only determine the interpretation of the Constitution but may also profoundly reshape America’s social fabric and political landscape in the years to come.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865850465018880/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.