US Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship, sparks calls to deport pregnant illegal immigrants

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that children born on American soil to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily present are citizens under the 14th Amendment, reaffirming the longstanding birthright citizenship rule. The decision, issued with a liberal‑leaning majority, was met with a wave of right‑wing backlash.

Conservative activists and politicians urged Immigration and Customs Enforcement to prioritize the removal of pregnant undocumented migrants, with proposals to station ICE officers at hospitals and to tax births to illegal immigrants. Statements from White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller described the ruling as “national self‑obliteration,” while Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and other officials suggested bans on pregnant travelers. Lawmakers in several states have introduced bills aiming to bar entry of pregnant immigrants altogether.

Analysts note that roughly 260,000 babies are born each year in the United States to non‑citizen parents, about 245,000 of whom have undocumented mothers. The demographic breakdown shows a disproportionate impact on Latino communities, though a smaller share of births involve temporary‑visa families, including Asian immigrants. The controversy is expected to keep immigration policy and the Supreme Court’s role in the public debate front‑and‑center in the coming weeks.