The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear a landmark case that questions whether children born on American soil to non-citizen parents are automatically entitled to US citizenship. The move marks one of the most significant legal challenges to birthright citizenship in decades.
The case centers on the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.” Plaintiffs argue that the clause should not apply to children of undocumented immigrants or foreign nationals who are not under full US jurisdiction. Civil rights groups, however, say the amendment has been consistently interpreted for over a century to guarantee citizenship to virtually everyone born in the country.
Legal experts say the Supreme Court’s decision to take up the case signals the possibility of a major shift in immigration and constitutional law. A ruling that narrows birthright citizenship could impact millions of people and reshape future immigration policy.
