Overview
- In a 1 a.m. Monday Truth Social post, President Trump called birthright citizenship a “money-making hoax” and told the justices to “watch and study” Mark Levin’s Fox segment on the issue.
- The Supreme Court heard Trump v. Barbara on Wednesday, April 1, and several justices signaled skepticism of the administration’s reading of the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause.
- Trump attended the arguments in person, the first sitting president on record to do so, and left shortly after his solicitor general finished presenting.
- The blocked executive order would deny automatic citizenship to U.S.-born children unless a parent is a citizen or lawful permanent resident, based on the claim that children of undocumented or temporary visitors are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States.
- Civil-rights groups and Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned that adopting the theory could invite retroactive citizenship challenges and leave some U.S.-born people stateless, while a ruling expected by early summer will decide whether the order can take effect.