Fact Check: Trump's Plan to End Birthright Citizenship is Now Legally Backed
What We Know
The claim that "Trump's plan to end birthright citizenship is now legally backed" stems from a series of executive orders and recent Supreme Court rulings. President Trump's executive order, titled Protecting The Meaning And Value Of American Citizenship, asserts that the Fourteenth Amendment does not universally grant citizenship to all individuals born in the U.S. but excludes certain categories, particularly children of undocumented immigrants and those whose parents are in the country temporarily. This order aims to redefine who qualifies for citizenship at birth.
On June 27, 2025, the Supreme Court issued a ruling that limited the ability of lower-court judges to issue nationwide injunctions against executive actions, including Trump's order on birthright citizenship. This decision allows the executive order to potentially take effect in states that have not challenged it, creating a scenario where citizenship rules could vary across the country. However, the Court did not rule on the constitutionality of the executive order itself, leaving that question open for future litigation.
Analysis
The assertion that Trump's plan is "legally backed" is partially true. The executive order is indeed positioned to be implemented following the Supreme Court's ruling, which curtails the power of lower courts to block such policies nationwide. However, the Supreme Court's decision did not validate the legality of the executive order itself; it merely allowed it to proceed without immediate nationwide judicial intervention.
The executive order's interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment is contentious. Legal experts and advocates for immigrant rights argue that the amendment has historically been interpreted to grant citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, a principle established in the landmark case of United States v. Wong Kim Ark. Critics of Trump's order suggest that it contradicts over a century of legal precedent and could face significant challenges in court.
Moreover, the Supreme Court's ruling has prompted immediate responses from advocacy groups, indicating that legal battles over the executive order are far from over. Organizations are already preparing to file class-action lawsuits to challenge the order's enforcement in various jurisdictions, as noted in reports from The New York Times and AP News.
Conclusion
The claim that Trump's plan to end birthright citizenship is now legally backed is Partially True. While the Supreme Court's recent ruling allows the executive order to move forward without immediate nationwide injunctions, it does not confirm the order's constitutionality. The legal landscape surrounding birthright citizenship remains uncertain, with ongoing challenges expected in the courts.
Sources
- Protecting The Meaning And Value Of American Citizenship
- Supreme Court Limits Judges' Ability to Issue Nationwide Injunctions
- What is birthright citizenship and what happens after ...
- Supreme Court limits nationwide orders that have blocked ...
- Birthright citizenship: What is it and can Trump end it?
- Trump wins as Supreme Court curbs judges, but may yet ...
- What's next for birthright citizenship after the Supreme Court's ruling
- Supreme Court ruling leaves birthright citizenship in limbo
