House Speaker Mike Johnson said lawmakers must take up birthright citizenship after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting automatic citizenship for some children born in the United States.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Congress must address birthright citizenship after the Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end automatic citizenship for children born in the United States to parents who are in the country illegally or temporarily.
Johnson said he was “very disappointed” by the court’s decision and argued that the ruling leaves lawmakers responsible for determining whether the policy can be changed through legislation or a constitutional amendment, according to CNN.
“I think it subjects the country to serious challenges going forward, and we’ll have to deal with it as a Congress,” Johnson said.
The Louisiana Republican said the ruling appears to leave few options for those seeking to change birthright citizenship without amending the Constitution.
“I’m sure the conclusion from this opinion is going to be that you’ve got to amend the Constitution to fix that,” Johnson said.
“I will say I’m very disappointed in that outcome,” he added.
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Trump’s executive order violated the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, according to CNN. The decision affirmed that nearly all people born on U.S. soil are entitled to citizenship.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority, saying birthright citizenship is a constitutional guarantee that cannot be changed by executive order and has long been understood as a central protection of the 14th Amendment.
Trump signed the order on his first day back in office. It would have denied automatic citizenship to children born in the United States if neither parent was a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. The order was blocked nationwide before taking effect, according to Newsmax reporting on the decision.
The court relied in part on longstanding precedent, including the 1898 Supreme Court decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, which affirmed birthright citizenship for nearly all individuals born on American soil.
After the ruling, Trump called on Congress to move quickly on legislation addressing birthright citizenship now that the court has rejected his attempt to change the policy through executive action, according to CNN.
Johnson’s remarks show Republican leaders are preparing to shift the issue to Capitol Hill, where any effort to alter birthright citizenship would face major legal and political hurdles.
The ruling leaves the 14th Amendment’s birthright citizenship protection in place while setting up a new legislative fight over whether Congress can restrict the practice or whether a constitutional amendment would be required.
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