The nation's highest court agrees to review case questioning birthright citizenship.
The nation's highest court has decided to review a landmark case that challenges a century-old principle: automatic citizenship for individuals born on American soil.
On his first day in office this winter, the administration signed an order aiming to end birthright citizenship, but the order was struck down by the judiciary after legal challenges were initiated.
The Supreme Court's final ruling will either uphold citizenship rights for the infants of immigrants who are in the US undocumented or on non-immigrant visas, or it will overturn those rights altogether.
Next, the judges will set a time to hear oral arguments between the federal government and the suing parties, which involve parents who are immigrants and their young children.
A Constitutional Cornerstone
For over a century and a half, the Constitutional amendment has codified the rule that all individuals born in the United States is a American citizen, with specific conditions for children born to embassy personnel and personnel of invading forces.
"Anyone born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."
The contested presidential order sought to deny citizenship to the children of people who are whether in the US illegally or are in the country on temporary visas.
The United States is one of about three dozen nations – mostly in the Western Hemisphere – that provide automatic citizenship to any person born within their borders.
