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NewsWBEZ ChicagoJune 30, 2026United States

Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to uphold the long-standing interpretation of the 14th Amendment, confirming that children born in the United States are citizens. This decision invalidates an executive order from President Donald Trump that sought to deny citizenship to children born to parents without legal status or those in the country temporarily.

immigrationSupreme Courtcitizenship14th Amendmentexecutive order
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Why It Matters

The ruling ensures that children born in the U.S. retain their constitutional right to citizenship, preventing the potential loss of legal status for over a quarter-million babies born annually.

Key Facts

  • The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to uphold the broad definition of birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment.
  • The ruling effectively nullifies an executive order signed by President Trump last year that aimed to restrict citizenship for children of parents without legal status or those in the U.S. temporarily.
  • The executive order had been blocked by lower courts and never took effect.
  • The 14th Amendment grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, with exceptions only for children of foreign diplomats and foreign occupying forces.
  • Research indicates the executive order would have affected more than 250,000 babies born in the U.S. annually.
  • The ruling applies to children of individuals legally in the U.S. on temporary status, such as students or green card applicants, as well as those without legal status.

Who's Mentioned

organizationSupreme Court“The judicial body that issued the 6-3 ruling.”personDonald Trump“President who issued the executive order regarding birthright citizenship.”organizationACLU of Illinois“Legal organization that challenged the executive order.”organizationHANA Center“Immigrant justice organization.”personJB Pritzker“Governor of Illinois who issued a statement on the ruling.”organizationPopulation Research Institute“Research institute at Pennsylvania State University.”organizationMigration Policy Institute“Research organization that provided data on affected births.”organizationIllinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights“Advocacy group commenting on the ruling.”