Collage banner image

Defending Birthright Citizenship at the Supreme Court

July 15: Supreme Court Town Hall with the ACLU of Maine

Join us for a discussion about what the court's major decisions mean for Maine and the nation.

Register via Zoom

Last updated on June 30, 2026

We defended birthright citizenship at the Supreme Court because the Constitution – not the president – decides who is a citizen.

President Trump has targeted immigrants since his first day in office, and his efforts to eliminate birthright citizenship are at the center of his cruel agenda to redefine who gets to be an American. But the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to children born in the United States — and President Trump is not above the Constitution.

Latest Update:

Victory! On June 30, 2026, the Supreme Court upheld our victory defending birthright citizenship. In a 6-3 decision, the court struck down President Trump's executive order attempting to end this core American principle. This decision reaffirms what the Constitution has made clear for over 150 years: If you are born in the United States, you are a citizen of the United States.

This embed will serve content from {{ domain }}. See our privacy statement

We sued the Trump administration for trying to end birthright citizenship, a core American principle that is outlined in the plain language of the 14th Amendment. The case was argued at the U.S. Supreme Court on April 1, 2026. On June 30, 2026, the Court upheld our victory defending Birthright Citizenship.

Birthright citizenship has been the law of the land since the 14th Amendment was enacted in 1868. It is a core reason that the United States has been seen for generations as a beacon of freedom and opportunity around the world. Successive waves of immigrants have shaped and reshaped every aspect of our society and culture, from the food we eat and the music we listen to, to our regional accents and religious practices. As Americans, we are bound by our values and commitment to a pluralistic, free society – not by our family heritage.

This kind of government-engineered exclusion is both unconstitutional and morally indefensible.

Arguments and Rally at the Supreme Court

We rallied with other advocates at the U.S. Supreme Court as our national legal director, Cecillia Wang, led oral arguments inside the court.

How We Got Here

Just hours after President Trump took the oath of office, we filed a lawsuit challenging his executive order attempting to ban birthright citizenship. Multiple federal courts acted swiftly to block the order, finding that it violates the plain language of the 14th Amendment, congressional intent, and over a century of Supreme Court precedent.

In June 2025, the Supreme Court limited the options available for our initial case to apply nationwide, so we immediately filed a nationwide class action lawsuit called Barbara v. Trump. The president appealed to the Supreme Court, and the case was argued on April 1, 2026.

On June 30, 2026, the Supreme Court upheld our victory defending birthright citizenship. In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled that President Trump's executive order violated both the 14th Amendment and federal law. This decision reaffirms a principle that has been settled for more than 150 years: if you are born in the United States, you are a citizen of the United States. This is a major victory for all Americans.

Featured Cases

Court Case
June 30, 2026
A demonstrator looks up at her sign (which reads "Citizenship is a Birthright") during a rally outside the Supreme court building demanding the court uphold the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
  • Immigrants' Rights

Barbara v. Trump – Class Action to Protect Birthright Citizenship

We sued the Trump administration for trying to end birthright citizenship, a core American principle that is outlined in the plain language of the 14th Amendment. The case was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on April 1, 2026. On June 30, 2026, we won.
Court Case
January 8, 2026
Birthright Citizenship Case
  • Immigrants' Rights

NHICS v. Trump – Defending Birthright Citizenship

We're suing the Trump administration for issuing an executive order that blatantly violates the plain language of the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution.

Related Content

News & Commentary
Jun 30, 2026
Birthright Citizenship Rally at SCOTUS
  • Civil Rights and Liberties|
  • +1 Issue

We Took the Fight for Birthright Citizenship to SCOTUS – and We Won

We took the president to SCOTUS to defend birthright citizenship – and we won.
News & Commentary
Jul 30, 2025
Pro-choice demonstrators (whose faces and signs are blurred) march in front of the Supreme Court and the statement on its facade, "Equal justice under law".
  • Civil Rights and Liberties

Your Questions Answered: The Supreme Court's Impact On Our Rights

The court's rulings—and its shifting procedures—signal lasting threats to civil liberties.
Event | In-Person & Virtual
woman holding "citizenship is a birthright" sign

Trump v. Barbara at the Supreme Court

The ACLU of Maine is going to the Supreme Court.
Apr 01, 2026 | 10:00 AM
News & Commentary
Feb 04, 2025
President Donald Trump holds up a recently signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House.
  • Civil Rights and Liberties

What is an Executive Order and How Does it Work?

What executive orders can – and cannot – do, and why we have them in the first place