Media contact: media@asianlawcaucus.org
Asian Law Caucus Statement on Supreme Court Decision Blocking Trump Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship
Supreme Court rules Trump Executive Order limiting birthright citizenship is unlawful
SAN FRANCISCO - Today the Supreme Court delivered its decision in Trump v. Barbara in a 6-3 ruling that the President’s Executive Order seeking limits on birthright citizenship is unconstitutional. The decision comes after multiple federal courts have ruled that the Executive Order violates both the Constitution and federal statute. In January 2025, Asian Law Caucus, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of New Hampshire, ACLU of Maine, ACLU of Massachusetts, Democracy Defenders Fund, and Legal Defense Fund brought this challenge to protect the citizenship rights of all children born on U.S. soil.
In response to the decision, Aarti Kohli, executive director of the Asian Law Caucus, said:
“We sued to defend birthright citizenship because it represents an American promise upon which generations of families built better lives for their children. Because of the organized struggle by formerly enslaved Black Americans and San Francisco Chinese immigrants, it has been understood that when you are born here, you are a citizen. That legacy continues today. Today’s victory is shared with the over 200 organizations across the nation who endorsed our American Promise campaign to defend birthright citizenship. Together, we sent a clear message: No President can rewrite the Constitution.The administration spent more than a year creating chaos and fear for all families. At a time when Americans needed their government focused on gas prices, groceries, and healthcare, this was a costly distraction. Politicians should not be rewriting who belongs and who gets a say in our democracy, and now is the time to use our voices to ensure our country is a place where we all belong.”
In the majority opinion, the Court concluded, “Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights— to freely participate in our political community. The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to ‘every free-born person in this land.’ We keep that promise today.”
Asian Law Caucus, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu, and Chinese for Affirmative Action will host a rally and press conference to provide interviews and discuss the ruling tomorrow, July 1 at 11:00 AM PT at Willie “Woo Woo” Wong Playground Park in San Francisco. Please email media@asianlawcaucus.org to RSVP.