ProtectingtheMeaningandValueof AmericanCitizenship
Only15%ofcountriesworldwidehavebirthrightcitizenship,alawthatgrants citizenshiptoanyonebornwithinthecountry'sborders,regardlessoftheir parents'citizenshiporimmigrationstatus.TheUnitedStatesestablished birthrightcitizenshipin1868,whenthe14thAmendmentoftheConstitution wasratified.CongressissuedthisamendmentintheaftermathoftheCivil Wartoensurethatessentialcivilrightswereextendedtoformerlyenslaved BlackAmericans.Sincethen,ithasshapedapathwaytocitizenshipfor millionsofAmericans.
OnPresidentTrump’sfirstdayinoffice,heissuedExecutiveOrder#14160, ProtectingtheMeaningandValueofAmericanCitizenship,whichends birthrightcitizenshipforchildrenborntotwoundocumentedimmigrants andthoseinthecountryontourist,work,orstudentvisas.Theorderalso prohibitsfederaldepartmentsandagenciesfromissuingany documentationrecognizingUScitizenship—oracceptingdocumentsissued bystate,local,orothergovernmentalauthorities frompeopleontourist, work,orstudentvisas,aswellaspeopleborntotwoundocumented immigrants.TheMigrationPolicyInstituteestimatesthatmorethan250,000 childrenwillbebornintheUnitedStateswithoutcitizenshipannuallydueto thisorder,aphenomenonthathasnotoccurredsincetheantebellum period.
CurrentLandscape
ImmediatelyafterPresidentTrumpissuedthisorderonJanuary20,twenty-two statesandmorethantencivilrightsandadvocacygroupsfiledlawsuits assertingthattheTrumpAdministrationviolatedtheFourteenthAmendment. OnFebruary5,afederaldistrictjudgegrantedtheplaintiffs’motionfora nationwidepreliminaryinjunction,haltingtheimplementationand enforcementoftheorder.TheTrumpAdministrationappealedthedecision twice,andtheSupremeCourtagreedtohearthecaseonMay15.Whilethe courtdidnotdeliberateonthemeritsofthecase,itissueda6-3rulingonJune 30.Inthisruling,theJusticesrejectedtheinjunctions,openingthedoorfor statestoendbirthrightcitizenshiponJuly31.
Inresponsetothisruling,theACLUsofNewHampshire,Maryland,and Massachusettsfiledaclass-actionlawsuitinwhichtheyproposedthatbabies borntotwoundocumentedparentsareaclasswhoserightshavebeen violatedbytheexecutiveorder.OnJuly10,afederaljudgeinNewHampshire approvedtheclass-actionsuitandsuspendedenforcementoftheorder nationwide.AsoftheendofJuly,theTrumpAdministrationhadnotyet appealedthedecision,whichimmigrantadvocateswidelyregardasavictory. Thecase,however,isstillongoing.Asthelawsuitsevolve,stateandlocal leadersarescramblingtoaddressthelogisticalchallengescreatedbythe SupremeCourt’sdecision,whichwillhavedramaticimplicationsforimmigrant communitiesandauniqueimpactonBlackcommunities.
In2019,oneinfiveBlackAmericanswereimmigrantsorthechildrenof immigrants.In2022,anestimated750,000undocumentedimmigrantsinthe UnitedStateswerefromtheCaribbeanand375,000fromAfrica figuresthat continuetoriseovertime.Fromastate-levelview,Texashasthesecond largestpopulationofundocumentedimmigrantsandthelargestBlack populationinthecountry.IfTexasispermittedtoendbirthrightcitizenship, thousandsofBlackfamiliescouldbethrownintodisarrayastheygrapplewith theeffectsofthisexecutiveorder.Broadlyspeaking,iftheordergoesinto effect,thechildrenofundocumentedimmigrantsandtemporaryresidents bornintheUSwillnothavesocialsecuritynumbersorothercitizenship documentsthatwillallowthemtoqualifyforMedicaid,SNAP,andother benefits,leavingthemwithoutadequatehealthcareandvulnerabletohunger andpoverty.Thelegalproceedingsontheconstitutionalityofthisorderare ongoingandwillshapethefutureofimmigrationintheUS.