Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order

On June 30 2026, the Supreme Court issued a 6-3 opinion in *Trump v. Barbara*, overturning President Donald Trump’s executive order that would have ended birthright citizenship. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority, confirming that the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees citizenship to children born on U.S. soil.

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Trump signed the order on Jan. 20 2025, directing that children of undocumented or temporary-status parents would not automatically receive citizenship. Federal courts blocked the order as “blatantly unconstitutional,” and the Supreme Court’s ruling ensures it never took effect.

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The American Civil Liberties Union filed the suit with a coalition led by New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and joined by more than 20 states. The federal government defended the order, while President Trump argued it restored the original meaning of the Citizenship Clause.

The Record (New Jersey)

Analysts estimate the order would have affected roughly 250,000 newborns each year, described elsewhere as “hundreds of thousands.” New Jersey, home to the nation’s second-largest foreign-born population, noted that about 500,000 state residents are undocumented.

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Roberts’ opinion cited the Citizenship Clause’s plain text and the *Wong Kim Ark* (1898) precedent, rejecting the claim that the amendment applies only to children of slaves. The decision preserves a century-old interpretation and blocks future executive attempts to redefine citizenship without congressional action.

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Attorney General Davenport said the ruling “affirms what courts, legislators, and the 14th Amendment have guaranteed for more than a century.” Governor Mikie Sherrill called the order “malicious” and “unlawful.” The White House labeled the decision “too bad” and urged Congress to act.

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President Trump reiterated his call for legislation to limit citizenship, calling the Court’s decision “too bad.” Conservative pundits and the dissenting justices—Thomas, Gorsuch, and Alito—argued the executive branch should retain authority to interpret the amendment.

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Estimates of affected newborns vary between “hundreds of thousands” and the specific 250,000 figure. The opinion does not address whether Congress could later impose similar citizenship limits, leaving that legal question open.

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• “Today, the Supreme Court affirmed what courts, legislators, and the 14th Amendment have guaranteed for more than a century: birthright citizens are Americans,” — Jennifer Davenport, New Jersey Attorney General

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• “in America we do not punish children for the sins of their fathers, but instead we wipe the slate clean. When you're born in this country, we're all American, all the same.” — Cecillia Wang, ACLU attorney

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• “Donald Trump’s malicious attempt to tear down this guarantee was so plainly unlawful and reckless that his own hand-picked Supreme Court said no,” — Mikie Sherrill, Governor of New Jersey

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• “too bad,” — Donald Trump, President

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The Court’s term ends June 30; the next session begins in October. Lawmakers may draft bills to alter citizenship rules, while pending cases on transgender athletes and campaign-finance limits await decision in the upcoming term.

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