America's top judicial body has decided to consider case disputing automatic citizenship for those born in the US.
The US Supreme Court has agreed to take on a significant case that puts to the test a historic guarantee: automatic citizenship for people born in the United States.
On the inaugural day in office this January, the President enacted a directive aiming to terminate birthright citizenship, but the order was struck down by the judiciary after legal challenges were brought forward.
The Supreme Court's final judgment will ultimately uphold citizenship rights for the infants of migrants who are in the US undocumented or on short-term permits, or it will nullify them completely.
Next, the court will set a time to hear arguments between the federal government and plaintiffs, which involve immigrant parents and their newborns.
A Constitutional Cornerstone
For nearly 160 years, the Constitutional amendment has established the rule that every person born in the nation is a US citizen, with specific conditions for children born to embassy personnel and members of occupying armies.
"Anyone born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."
The contested directive sought to withhold citizenship to the offspring of people who are either in the US in violation of immigration law or are in the country on temporary visas.
The United States is among about a minority of states – mostly in the Western Hemisphere – that award instant citizenship to any person born in their territory.
