Supreme Court justices appear skeptical over Trump's changes to US birthright citizenship rules

[1blackman1]

Unsurprisingly the US Supreme Court took up the birthright citizenship question. They kinda had to since the last time it came before them the govt wanted to punt the issue and remand it to the lower courts for deliberate review. So, the lower courts all looked at it again and said the govt (Trump’s position) argument was wrong and in violation of the Constitution. So here we are back for the SC determination.

After listening to the argument, it'll be interesting to see how far the conservatives will stretch themselves. Alito and Thomas (my buddy) will try to support the govt position. Though it'll seem strained. One other conservative might join them though I'm hard pressed from the questions to know whom. Both Brett and Neil seemed skeptical but open to some limitations to punt to congress to define. But neither seemed to agree that the 14th amendment applied only to children of slaves or that it only applied to persons legally here.

No other justice seemed to buy the arguments of the govt at all. Though Roberts did seem willing to look at some of the legislative exceptions that might preclude some persons. Barrett is likely to side with the liberals fully.

I guess the Trumpys had to give the good ole try. I don't knock em for it though it's not an issue that really needs to be addressed unless one really fears that white folks becoming the minority is the end of the US. But that's another discussion altogether.

In June we might have a definitive answer. I don't see the SC punting it back to the lower courts so it'll likely be a muddy with some clarity decision.

[fd-guy]

It appears SCOTUS doesn't much care of trump comes and sits for oral arguments. I'm sure we can expect to see all sorts of late night social media posts as he starts to realize this one is going to be a loser for him.

Supreme Court justices appear skeptical over Trump's changes to US birthright citizenship rules

On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. Barbara over President Donald Trump's executive order restricting birthright citizenship, with Trump becoming the first sitting president to attend Supreme Court oral arguments.

Signed on Jan. 20, 2025, the order aimed to deny citizenship to children born to parents unlawfully present in the U.S., challenging longstanding 14th Amendment protections until lower courts blocked enforcement nationwide.

Arguing for the administration, Solicitor General D. John Sauer faced skeptical questioning from justices regarding the order's textual basis, while ACLU attorney Cecillia Wang defended the "otherwise universal rule" of birthright citizenship.

Chief Justice John Roberts called the administration's historical approach "quirky," and most justices appeared skeptical of the order, with a final decision expected by late June.

A ruling upholding the order would immediately affect an estimated 250,000 babies born annually and require families and agencies to establish new citizenship verification frameworks, potentially upending more than a century of legal precedent.

[Yssup Rider]

Trump left after 2 hours.

That must have cleared the air.

[Lucas McCain]

Trump's sorry racist ass should be concentrating on much more important matters than making this country less "ethnic". Hell, I have two friends from undergrad who don't even speak their native tongues because their parents came here and insisted that only English would be spoken at home. If Trump had his way, they would be sent to a country that is completely foreign to them in every sense of the word.

The SCOTUS Republican justices have shown that sometimes they have no choice but to go against Trump's wishes. This appears to be one of those times.

[fd-guy]

Originally Posted by Lucas McCain

Trump's sorry racist ass should be concentrating on much more important matters than making this country less "ethnic". Hell, I have two friends from undergrad who don't even speak their native tongues because their parents came here and insisted that only English would be spoken at home. If Trump had his way, they would be sent to a country that is completely foreign to them in every sense of the word.

The SCOTUS Republican justices have shown that sometimes they have no choice but to go against Trump's wishes. This appears to be one of those times.

They never should have even given the case a hearing. Just let it die in the lower courts where it was already dumped.

[1blackman1]

They had to. See my earlier post on this subject.

[fd-guy]

Originally Posted by 1blackman1

They had to. See my earlier post on this subject.

I missed it, or I would have just added my post in. Got a link?

[1blackman1]

https://eccie.net/showthread.php?t=3088112

[fd-guy]

Originally Posted by 1blackman1

https://eccie.net/showthread.php?t=3088112

Oops. Well, the mods are welcome to combine them if they like. Still not sure why you conclude they "had to" give this their attention. They could have simply let the lower courts conclusions stand.

[1blackman1]

Because in the first case, they essentially dared the govt to appeal the cases they lost if they wanted to get a resolution.

[biomed1]

Merged

[ICU 812]

So then, what can be done about eliminating birthright citizenship?

Who would entertain the idea of dealing with this issue through the amendment process?

[1blackman1]

Why eliminate birthright citizenship?