Alright, so here we have a Supreme Court hearing that went down in Washington. The justices were not really feeling it when it came to President Trump’s plan to deny citizenship to babies born to parents who are in the country illegally or temporarily. None of them seemed to be on board with the whole restricting birthright citizenship idea, and some were openly skeptical about it. Justice Elena Kagan even pointed out that every court seems to be shutting down Trump’s plan, so there’s not much room for debate there.
The big question at hand during the hearing was whether a single federal judge has the power to issue a nationwide order to stop the president’s plan in its tracks. After Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship was met with opposition and deemed unconstitutional by judges in Maryland, Massachusetts, and Washington state, his legal team turned to the Supreme Court for help in reining in these nationwide orders. It’s a tricky situation because, on one hand, the judges may have overstepped their authority, but on the other hand, it’s not every day a president tries to change the Constitution through an executive order. The justices seemed split on how to proceed, with some suggesting a class-action claim while others worried about delays in solving the issue.
Now, let’s dive a bit into the history behind birthright citizenship. The 14th Amendment, passed shortly after the Civil War, established that anyone born or naturalized in the United States and subject to its laws is a citizen. This was a big deal back in the day because before that, Americans were only citizens of their states. The Supreme Court has upheld birthright citizenship for the native-born children of foreign migrants since the late 19th century, but there are some conservative law professors who argue that the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction” of the U.S. requires undivided allegiance to the country, not just living here. Trump’s executive order tried to challenge this notion by limiting citizenship for newborns born to non-citizen parents.
In the end, it seems like the Supreme Court has a tough decision to make in Trump vs. CASA. There’s a lot at stake here, with potential consequences for thousands of children and the interpretation of the 14th Amendment hanging in the balance. The justices will need to weigh the procedural questions raised by the administration against the broader implications of allowing or blocking Trump’s plan. It’s a complex issue that goes to the heart of what it means to be a citizen in this country, and the decision they make could have far-reaching effects. Let’s see where this all leads in the coming months.
