The Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship. The 5–4 decision held that the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to children born in the United States. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion.
The ruling came in Trump v. Barbara. It addressed Trump’s January 2025 order that sought to deny citizenship to children of parents unlawfully or temporarily present in the country.
Roberts wrote that the amendment’s text and history extend citizenship to nearly all children born on U.S. soil. Justices Amy Coney Barrett and the court’s three liberals joined the opinion.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh concurred in the result on statutory grounds but dissented from the constitutional holding. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch dissented fully.
Trump responded on Truth Social by urging Congress to pass legislation ending birthright citizenship. He also congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping on the outcome.
