Blow to Trump immigration policy: Supreme Court defends birthright citizenship

WASHINGTON: The United States Supreme Court has delivered a major setback to President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda by striking down an executive order that sought to end birthright citizenship.

The executive order aimed to terminate automatic citizenship for children born on U.S. soil to undocumented immigrants and individuals residing in the country on temporary visas. Rejecting the administration's move, the Supreme Court ruled that the measure is unconstitutional. It affirmed that under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which was enacted in 1868, all children born in the United States are legally entitled to citizenship regardless of their parents' legal status.
The court emphasised that birthright citizenship constitutes one of the most robust constitutional rights in the United States, noting that attempts to restrict it run contrary to the foundational principles of the Constitution.

President Trump had issued the directive on the first day of his second term, with the policy originally slated to take effect in February 2025. While multiple federal courts across the country temporarily blocked the order, the Supreme Court's definitive 6–3 ruling follows an appeal originating from a federal court challenge in New Hampshire.

In a separate ruling issued concurrently, the Supreme Court upheld state-level bans on transgender athletes competing in female sports events at schools and colleges, ruling that such restrictions do not violate the Constitution's equal protection guarantees.