US Supreme Court will hear lawsuit questioning automatic citizenship for those born in the US.
The US Supreme Court has agreed to take on a significant case that questions a longstanding principle: birthright citizenship for those born on American soil.
On day one in office this January, President Donald Trump enacted a directive aiming to halt birthright citizenship, but the move was struck down by lower courts after constitutional questions were brought forward.
The Supreme Court's final ruling will ultimately support citizenship rights for the infants of foreign nationals who are in the US undocumented or on short-term permits, or it will overturn those rights altogether.
Next, the court will schedule a date to hear the case between the administration and the suing parties, which involve immigrant parents and their infants.
The 14th Amendment
For more than 150 years, the 14th Amendment has established the rule that all individuals born in the nation is a US citizen, with specific conditions for children born to foreign diplomats and personnel of foreign military forces.
"Anyone born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."
The contested directive sought to withhold citizenship to the children of people who are whether in the US without legal status or are in the country on non-permanent visas.
The United States belongs to a group of about 30 countries – mostly in the Americas – that provide instant citizenship to all those born on their soil.
