Folarin Balogkan shines for US soccer as Trump immigration order sparks citizenship debate

Folarin Balogkan, 25, scored twice in the United States' opening World Cup match against Paraguay and was named MVP after the win over Australia. Born in Brooklyn in 2001 to Nigerian parents, he automatically received US citizenship under the 14th Amendment, though he could have chosen to represent England or Nigeria.

President Donald Trump's executive order seeks to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented migrants or temporary visa holders, prompting a pending Supreme Court review. A Reuters poll shows most Americans support automatic citizenship, but only 9% of Democrats agree with ending it, compared with 62% of Republicans. The issue has been highlighted in recent BBC coverage linking Balogkan’s status to the broader immigration debate.