In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Trump’s executive order to restrict birthright citizenship is unconstitutional, marking a significant victory for immigrant rights advocates.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a major victory today by ruling that President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at restricting birthright citizenship is unconstitutional. This decision comes as a result of a legal challenge brought forth by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), along with several other organizations, including the ACLU of New Hampshire, ACLU of Maine, ACLU of Massachusetts, the Legal Defense Fund, the Asian Law Caucus, and the Democracy Defenders Fund, in the case of Trump v. Barbara. The challenge was initiated on behalf of children who would have been denied citizenship under the executive order.
In a decisive 6-to-3 ruling, the Court struck down the president’s 2025 executive order, which sought to strip citizenship from U.S.-born children based on their parents’ immigration status. This ruling is particularly significant for South Asian Americans, who have historically faced efforts to marginalize their communities, regardless of their long-standing presence in the country. The decision reaffirms a constitutional promise that has safeguarded generations of Americans and rejects attempts to redefine American citizenship through executive action.
Aarti Kohli, executive director of the Asian Law Caucus, expressed her support for the ruling, stating, “This is an important victory for all Americans, including Asian Americans who have been told for generations that we don’t belong here, and who have been part of the fight for birthright citizenship from the start. Wong Kim Ark was born just blocks from the Asian Law Caucus. We and our immigrant clients have continued the same fight for full and equal membership in this country. Today, the court reaffirmed what we’ve always known: We are American, and we are here to stay.”
Kalpana V. Peddibhotla, Executive Director at the South Asian American Justice Collaborative (SAAJCO), also commented on the ruling, saying, “Birthright citizenship reflects one of our nation’s most enduring commitments: that citizenship cannot be denied based on a parent’s immigration status. Attempts to undermine that guarantee are rooted in the same exclusionary ideas that have long targeted immigrant communities and communities of color. For South Asian communities, this ruling is a reminder that our rights are not conditional and our children’s citizenship is not up for debate.”
Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) released a statement emphasizing the importance of birthright citizenship, noting, “Birthright citizenship is foundational to our democracy, and Asian Americans have played an integral role in establishing its long history, tradition, and legal precedent. Today, Asian Americans make up 7% of the U.S. population. About 10.6 million Asian Americans are U.S.-born citizens, and nearly 60% of foreign-born Asian Americans are naturalized citizens. Today’s decision not only preserves the rights of these communities; it upholds the principle that a fair judiciary should operate free from political pressure.”
ACLU National Legal Director Cecillia Wang, who argued the case at the Supreme Court, stated, “The court’s decision reaffirms a fundamental American promise — if you are born here, you are a citizen. A president cannot change the Constitution by executive fiat. Our brave clients and our legal team stand with millions of people around our country who spoke up for one of our most cherished rights. The Constitution’s guarantee of birthright citizenship stands strong.”
Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU, remarked on the significance of the ruling, saying, “With a 6-3 judgment from the U.S. Supreme Court, President Trump suffered a stunning loss on a signature order he signed on day one of his presidency. This was one of the most important constitutional cases of the past 100 years. The president bet his legacy trying to secure this policy win — even attending the argument in person — and he lost. It was especially gratifying that the majority opinion was authored by Chief Justice Roberts, and that Trump appointees Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett agreed with the decision to strike down the order.”
Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the Legal Defense Fund, emphasized the constitutional implications of the ruling, stating, “The Constitution, not the president, defines who is a citizen. And the 14th Amendment makes clear that every child born on U.S. soil is a citizen. Today, a narrow majority of the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed these unequivocal truths.”
Amb. Norm Eisen (ret.), co-founder and executive chair of the Democracy Defenders Fund, described the ruling as a significant human milestone, stating, “Today’s ruling is more than a legal landmark. It is a human one. For more than a century, birthright citizenship has been a cornerstone of equal citizenship and national belonging in our country. This decision reaffirms that fundamental guarantee — no president has the power to decide who is entitled to the rights our Constitution protects.”
SangYeob Kim, director of the ACLU-NH Immigrants’ Rights Project, remarked, “This decision is about what it means to be an American under our Constitution, and the court’s unwavering opinion makes clear that if you are born here, you are a citizen. We thank the brave immigrant parents and their children who brought this lawsuit to the highest court in the land to protect what we have long known: no politician — including the president — can decide who is worthy of citizenship.”
ACLU of Maine Executive Director Molly Curren Rowles noted the broader implications of the ruling, stating, “Today’s decision is a victory for immigrant families and maintains over 150 years of legal and bipartisan consensus: that at our best, America is and has always been a nation of immigrants.”
Carol Rose, executive director at the ACLU of Massachusetts, added, “This ruling affirms a fundamental and inescapable principle: that everyone born in the United States is entitled to the same rights and protections. Bigotry and bluster cannot change that. And the president cannot rewrite the Constitution.”
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on April 1, 2026, leading to this pivotal ruling.
This article is based on information from the American Civil Liberties Union.