Highlights
The US Supreme Court on Tuesday (30 June) struck down President Donald Trump's executive order seeking to restrict birthright citizenship, ruling that children born on US soil remain entitled to citizenship regardless of their parents' immigration status.
In a 6-3 decision, the court upheld a lower court ruling that blocked Trump's order directing federal agencies not to recognise the citizenship of children born in the United States if neither parent is a US citizen or lawful permanent resident, reports Reuters.
The ruling is a major setback for Trump's immigration agenda and reaffirms a constitutional principle that has stood for more than a century.
Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said the court saw "no reason to depart" from its landmark 1898 decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, which established that the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to virtually everyone born on US soil.
"Not surprisingly, then, in the 128 years since, we have repeatedly understood the rule of Wong Kim Ark to guarantee citizenship to all children born in the United States and subject to its power," Roberts wrote.
"We see no reason to depart from that view today."
Roberts also rejected the Trump administration's interpretation of the Constitution, saying there was "scant evidence" to support its argument that birthright citizenship should be limited to children whose parents are US citizens or lawful permanent residents.
"If Congress intended to limit American citizenship to the children of those domiciled in the United States, nothing in the succinct language of the Citizenship Clause conveyed that design," he wrote.
Describing citizenship as "the right to have rights," Roberts said the framers of the 14th Amendment extended that guarantee to "every free-born person in this land."
Trump signed the executive order on his first day after returning to office last year as part of a broader crackdown on both legal and illegal immigration. The administration argued that the 14th Amendment had been interpreted too broadly and sought to deny automatic citizenship to children born to undocumented immigrants and certain temporary visa holders.
The ruling marks the second major defeat for the Trump administration at the Supreme Court this year, following the court's decision in February to invalidate his sweeping global tariff policy.
Trump personally attended oral arguments in the case in April, becoming the first sitting US president to appear before the Supreme Court during oral arguments.
The court also issued separate rulings on transgender athletes' participation in women's sports and campaign spending limits as it concluded its current term.
US President Donald Trump / US Supreme Court
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