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Trump confirms plans to attend Supreme Court arguments
President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he will attend Wednesday's U.S. Supreme Court hearing on his administration's attempt to end automatic citizenship for children born in the United States to parents who are in the country illegally or temporarily. If he attends, it would mark the first time a sitting president has observed oral arguments at the high court.
Executive order sparks constitutional debate
In January 2025, Trump signed an executive order aimed at eliminating birthright citizenship, a policy that grants citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil. The move, part of his broader immigration reform agenda, has faced immediate legal challenges. Opponents argue the order violates the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof."
"I'm going. Because I have listened to this argument for so long."
President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office
Legal battles and nationwide injunctions
More than a dozen states and five pregnant women filed lawsuits challenging the order's legality. Federal judges in three states issued nationwide injunctions, temporarily blocking the policy. The Supreme Court previously ruled in a related case last summer, limiting lower courts' ability to block presidential orders but stopping short of addressing the birthright citizenship question directly.
Key arguments before the justices
The case, Trump v. Barbara, was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other groups on behalf of children who would be affected by the order. The ACLU argues that the 14th Amendment's language-"subject to the jurisdiction thereof"-applies to all individuals on U.S. soil, including those in the country illegally. The Trump administration contends the term excludes children of non-permanent or unlawful residents.
"Birthright citizenship is fundamental to who we are as a country."
American Civil Liberties Union
Political and legal stakes
The Supreme Court's decision, expected this summer, will hinge on how the six conservative and three liberal justices interpret the scope of presidential power and the 14th Amendment. Most legal scholars argue the president lacks authority to alter citizenship laws via executive order. Trump has framed the policy as a national security imperative, writing on Truth Social that the current system allows foreign nationals to exploit U.S. laws for personal gain.
What's next
The justices will hear arguments on Wednesday, with a ruling anticipated by July. The outcome could redefine birthright citizenship, a principle in place since the 14th Amendment's ratification in 1868.
