Fact Check: Trump Gains Unprecedented Power to Revoke Birthright Citizenship
What We Know
The claim that "Trump gains unprecedented power to revoke birthright citizenship" stems from recent developments regarding President Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship. On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision that limited the ability of federal courts to issue nationwide injunctions against Trump's order, which sought to declare that children born in the U.S. to parents who are in the country illegally or on temporary visas would not automatically receive citizenship (NPR). However, the Court did not rule on the constitutionality of the executive order itself, leaving the question of whether it violates the 14th Amendment unresolved (Reuters).
The 14th Amendment states, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States." This amendment has historically been interpreted to grant citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, a principle established by a Supreme Court ruling over 150 years ago (NPR). Trump's executive order, therefore, contradicts longstanding legal interpretations of birthright citizenship.
Analysis
While the Supreme Court's ruling allows the Trump administration to move forward with its immigration policies without facing broad injunctions, it does not grant Trump the power to revoke birthright citizenship outright. The ruling specifically addressed the procedural issue of nationwide injunctions, not the substantive legality of the executive order itself (Reuters, NPR).
Critically, the majority opinion did not affirm the validity of Trump's claims regarding birthright citizenship; it merely stated that lower courts could not issue universal injunctions that block the enforcement of the executive order across the entire country. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, writing for the majority, emphasized that the Court's decision was procedural and did not address the merits of the case (NPR).
Furthermore, the dissenting opinion from the three liberal justices highlighted concerns about the implications of limiting federal judges' ability to issue broad injunctions, suggesting that such a move undermines the principles of equity and justice (NPR).
Given that the Supreme Court has not altered the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, and that Trump's executive order remains subject to further legal challenges, the claim that he has gained "unprecedented power" to revoke birthright citizenship is misleading.
Conclusion
Verdict: False
The assertion that Trump has gained unprecedented power to revoke birthright citizenship is not supported by the facts. The Supreme Court's ruling allows for the administration to proceed with its policies but does not validate the executive order's legality or grant Trump the authority to unilaterally revoke citizenship rights established by the Constitution. The fundamental principles of birthright citizenship remain intact, and any changes to this long-standing legal precedent would require significant legal and constitutional challenges.
