Supreme Court deals Trump defeat, upholds birthright citizenship

In a major setback for President Donald Trump's immigration agenda, the US Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected his administration's attempt to restrict birthright citizenship. The court's 6-3 ruling affirmed that children born in the United States are automatically granted citizenship, a right long considered fundamental and woven into the fabric of American society.

The decision invalidated Trump's executive order, which sought to deny citizenship to children born in the US to parents who were not American citizens or legal permanent residents. This policy was a cornerstone of Trump's broader efforts to crack down on both legal and illegal immigration.

Legal challenges to the order centered on the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens. The Trump administration had argued for a narrower interpretation of the phrase "subject to the jurisdiction thereof," suggesting it excluded children born to non-citizen parents.

The Supreme Court's decision, which arrived just before the July 4th holiday and the nation's 250th anniversary, ensures that the principle of birthright citizenship remains intact. This ruling marks the second major Trump initiative struck down by the court this year, following its February decision against his global tariffs. Critics had accused the president of pursuing discriminatory immigration policies.