June 30, 2026
In an increasingly rare win for immigrants and organizations that advocate on their behalf, the Supreme Court today struck down President Trump’s Executive Order terminating Birthright Citizenship for “all persons” born here, as specified by the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution:
“All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
At a press briefing today in Foley Square, activists joined advocates and immigrants to acknowledge the Court ruling.
Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO of NY Immigration Coalition.
“Today’s Supreme Court decision is a victory for the Constitution, the rule of law, and the generations of families who have built their lives in this country. As our nation marks its 250th birthday, the Supreme Court reaffirmed what has been clear for more than 150 years: the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship, and no president can rewrite the Constitution with the stroke of a pen.
Donald Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship was both an unprecedented attempt to advance his anti-immigrant agenda and part of a broader effort to dismantle legal pathways to safety, stability, and belonging. We celebrate today’s reaffirmation of one of our nation’s most enduring Constitutional guarantees, but we must not forget that just last week the Court’s decisions on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and asylum at the border have left hundreds of thousands of families facing uncertainty and have given the Administration an undue authority to dismantle humanitarian protections that allow people fleeing violence, disaster and uncertainty to live and work lawfully in the United States.
Even as we breathe a sigh of relief, Congress must act to create a pathway to citizenship for all immigrants and strengthen the humanitarian protections that reflect our values.” ~Murad Awawdeh
Faiza N. Ali, Commissioner Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA).
“Today’s Court decision to uphold Birthright Citizenship preserves one of the Constitution’s clearest promises: that every child born in the United States is a Citizen, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. Generations of immigrants have come to New York in pursuit of safety, opportunity, and the chance to build a better future for themselves and their families.
“In doing so they fortified the foundation of our City and created a blueprint for our Nation – one that recognizes our diversity as a profound strength.
“New York City is proof of this.” ~Faiza N. Ali
Amreeta Mathai, Director of Strategy and Program at the New York Civil Liberties Union.
“The power of this quintessential American promise of Birthright Citizenship can not be overstated. And Trump’s effort to gut this promise clearly come from anti-Black racism, anti-immigrant hate, xenophobia, and White Supremacy. When the 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868, it was only 3 years after the abolition of Slavery and it finally gave Black Americans equality under the Law.
“It finally gave them the Right to challenge discrimination and to demand Civil Rights. Since then, Birthright Citizenship has offered everyone, everyone born in the United States the promise of Equal Protection under the Law. It has been one of the purest expressions of our American values underscoring its committment to equality, fairness, and the principle that America has no permanent underclasses…
“So, on the one hand, we can all breathe a little bit easier today, knowing that this brazen attempt to undermine a fundamental principle of the Constitution has been thwarted. But, on the other hand, as seasoned veterans of Civil Rights, like my partners that stand next to me, we know that this battle continues. And that the atrocities that this administration has already committed against immigrants in the country will have a lasting impact.” ~Amreeta Mathai
Make the Road New York
“Birthright Citizenship is intrinsic to who we are as a country today – it has allowed the descendants of immigrants to put down roots and build loving families and vibrant communities. This administration attempted to reject that long history in furtherance of their White Supremacist agenda.
“As we celebrate this win, let us be clear: this callous and disastrous pursuit to erode a fundamental Right of Birthright Citizenship is part of the onslaught of attacks by this administration to terrorize and intimidate immigrants and children of immigrants – from gutting Congressionally mandated asylum protections, expanding immigration detentionn, and deploying masked, armed Federal agents against immigrant communities and even US citizens. Today, we reiterate our commitment to continue to fight and protect our people’s Civil Rights, our freedoms, and our families.” ~Yaritza Mendez, Deputy Director of Make the Road New York.
Justice Kavanaugh sided with the Majority, but separately added that, “Congress could—consistent with the Fourteenth Amendment—amend §1401(a) or otherwise enact new legislation establishing exceptions to birthright citizenship for children born to foreign citizens unlawfully or temporarily in the country. But Congress has not yet done so.”
Following the Court’s ruling today, President Trump tweeted that Congress should do exactly that. So today’s 6-3 decision might only be a temporary victory for Birthright citizenship since, evidently, some parties still don’t believe that “all persons” means everyone.
