Trump's Attempt To Deny US Citizenship To Children Of Undocumented Immigrants Struck Down

Published 30 June 2026 · us

Trump's Attempt To Deny US Citizenship To Children Of Undocumented Immigrants Struck Down Published By, Last Updated: June 30, 2026, 20:32 IST The court, in

Trump's Attempt To Deny US Citizenship To Children Of Undocumented Immigrants Struck Down Published By, Last Updated: June 30, 2026, 20:32 IST The court, in an eagerly awaited decision on the final day of its term, ruled 6-3 to maintain the right to American citizenship for nearly everyone born on US soil. Rapid Read US Supreme Court (Image: AP) (Pexels/Representative Image) In a major setback for US President Donald Trump, the US Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected his administration’s bid to restrict birthright citizenship, preserving the constitutional guarantee of citizenship for nearly everyone born on American soil. In a 6-3 decision issued on the final day of its term, the court ruled against Trump’s attempt to end automatic citizenship for children born in the United States to parents who are in the country illegally or on temporary visas. The ruling marks a significant defeat for one of Trump’s signature immigration policies and reaffirms the long-standing interpretation of the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment. What Was The Case About? The legal challenge centred on an executive order Trump signed after returning to the White House, directing that children born in the United States to parents who are in the country illegally or on temporary visas should no longer automatically receive US citizenship.

Multiple federal courts blocked the order, ruling that it likely violated the 14th Amendment, which has long been interpreted as granting citizenship to nearly everyone born on US soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. The Trump administration appealed, arguing that the Constitution does not guarantee birthright citizenship in such cases. A Conservative Court That Didn’t Back Trump Although the Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority, it does not always rule in favour of Trump’s policies. During his first term, Trump appointed three justices to the court, helping shape its current conservative majority. Despite that ideological balance, the court has on several occasions ruled against his administration on key legal and constitutional issues, including birthright citizenship. The decision is expected to have far-reaching implications for US immigration policy, presidential authority and the constitutional interpretation of the 14th Amendment. What Does Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment To US Constitution Say? The Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution states “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." The 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868, following the US Civil War, to guarantee citizenship and equal legal protection to formerly enslaved people and their descendants.