Last Updated:
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.
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.
Trump Had Predicted Defeat
Even before the ruling, Trump had repeatedly predicted that the Supreme Court would rule against his administration.
In May, he said it would be “a disgrace” if the justices rejected his position on birthright citizenship.
In an extraordinary move, Trump also attended oral arguments in the case at the Supreme Court in April, becoming the first sitting US president to watch a hearing from the courtroom gallery.
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.
About the Author
Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Chief Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter –twitter.com/saurabhkverma19
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
