The US Supreme Court has dealt a significant setback to former President Donald Trump's efforts to end birthright citizenship. On July 1, 2026, the Court ruled that children born in the United States are citizens at birth under the 14th Amendment, regardless of their parents' immigration status.

This ruling invalidates an executive order signed by Trump on the first day of his second term, which sought to deny automatic citizenship to babies born to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily in the US. The decision marks a major blow to an immigration policy central to Trump's agenda.

Trump and members of his administration have long criticized birthright citizenship, labeling it unconstitutional and alleging widespread exploitation by undocumented immigrants. Vice President JD Vance called it "the dumbest immigration policy in the world," while White House adviser Stephen Miller described it as "the most preposterous of all constitutional abominations."

Following the Supreme Court ruling, Trump revived his claim on Truth Social, sarcastically congratulating Chinese President Xi Jinping on a "birthright win" after previously alleging that wealthy Chinese families travel to the US specifically to give birth and secure citizenship for their children.

Data from the Pew Research Center shows that at least 32 countries, mainly in North and South America—including Canada, Mexico, and Argentina—grant citizenship automatically to nearly everyone born within their borders. A 2020 estimate by the Center for Immigration Studies suggested that between 20,000 and 26,000 babies are born annually in the US to women who travel primarily to obtain citizenship for their children.

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