The Supreme Court Takes On Birthright Citizenship
TL;DR
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on President Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship, with justices from across the ideological spectrum expressing skepticism toward the administration's novel interpretation of the 14th Amendment's 'subject to the jurisdiction thereof' clause.
⚖️ The Administration's Legal Argument 3 insights
Allegiance-based jurisdiction theory
Solicitor General John Sauer argued the 14th Amendment requires 'complete allegiance' to the U.S., claiming children of undocumented immigrants and temporary visitors are not 'subject to the jurisdiction thereof' because they owe loyalty to foreign nations.
Narrow reading of Wong Kim Ark
The administration claimed the 1898 Wong Kim Ark decision supports their position by focusing on 'domicile,' arguing the ruling only applied to children of parents with legal permanent residence rather than creating a universal birthright citizenship rule.
Originalist historical appeals
Sauer cited 19th-century Senate debates and Senator Trumbull's statements about 'allegiance' to argue the original public meaning of the citizenship clause excluded children of temporary visitors and illegal aliens.
🔍 Judicial Skepticism and Pushback 3 insights
Roberts calls theory 'quirky'
Chief Justice John Roberts challenged the administration's attempt to expand narrow historical exceptions for children of diplomats and invading armies to cover an entire class of undocumented immigrants, calling the examples 'idiosyncratic.'
Conservative justices question precedent manipulation
Justice Neil Gorsuch warned Sauer not to rely heavily on Wong Kim Ark while simultaneously trying to limit its holding, noting the word 'domicile' appears nowhere in the 14th Amendment's drafting history.
Textual clarity concerns
Justice Elena Kagan criticized the administration's use of 'obscure esoteric references,' pointing out that the amendment's text focuses on the child's status at birth rather than parental immigration status or allegiance.
🛡️ Opposition's Defense of Birthright Citizenship 2 insights
Plain text interpretation
ACLU attorney Cecilia Wong argued the 14th Amendment's guarantee that 'all persons born' on U.S. soil are citizens is straightforward and was designed to be beyond the reach of government officials to destroy.
Wong Kim Ark precedent stands
Wong emphasized that the 1898 decision established a broad rule of birthright citizenship, and the government's concession that they were not asking to overrule the case fatally undermined their argument for a parental domicile requirement.
Bottom Line
The Supreme Court appears unlikely to uphold the administration's attempt to end birthright citizenship via executive order, as both conservative and liberal justices found the legal arguments for reinterpreting the 14th Amendment's clear text historically strained and legally unconvincing.
More from New York Times Podcasts
View all
What Do You Do When a Family Member Commits a Terrible Crime? | 'The Opinions' Podcast
Author Harriet Clark, whose mother served 37 years in prison for a deadly robbery, joins New York Times columnist M. Gesson—whose cousin is serving a 10-year sentence for plotting to kill his ex-wife—to discuss how families navigate relationships with incarcerated relatives who have committed serious crimes, arguing that maintaining parent-child connections serves children's wellbeing better than permanent removal.
Zendaya & Robert Pattinson on ‘The Drama’, Marriage, and Dredging Up The Past
Zendaya and Robert Pattinson discuss their film "The Drama," exploring how a pre-wedding secret exposes the terror of intimacy and debating whether lasting love requires total transparency or healthy boundaries.
Tinned Fish is Finally Having the Moment It Deserves
Tinned fish has transformed from pantry staple into a luxury food trend in the US, driven by pandemic pantry stocking and TikTok aesthetics. After testing over 100 cans, Wirecutter recommends starting with mild trout or salmon before advancing to oily sardines or texturally challenging mollusks, with premium prices reflecting artisanal hand-packing methods.
How Cesar Chavez Abused His Power
A New York Times investigation reveals allegations that farm labor icon César Chávez sexually abused multiple young girls within his movement during the 1970s, prompting California to rename its state holiday and triggering a widespread reassessment of his legacy.