On April 1,the 14th Amendment was challenged by President Donald Trump. His goal, to remove birthright citizenship through amending the Constitution.
The 14th Amendment states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the state wherein they reside. Immigrants and students of immigrants make up a majority of the population at Del Mar.
Trump posted on Truth Social, March 30, “We are the only Country in the World that dignifies this subject with even discussion.” Trump argues that birthright citizenship causes problems for America, the only country with birthright citizenship. According to Pew Research Center, over 30 countries have automatic birthright citizenship.
In January 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14159 to abolish birthright citizenship. Trump instructs government departments not to accept documents recognizing United States citizenship for children born in the U.S. with both undocumented biological parents.
Article V of the Constitution states that the president cannot change the Constitution through executive order or legislation. The Constitution has granted citizenship to people born in the U.S., regardless of their parents’ legal status, for over 150 years.
On March 30, Trump criticized the Supreme Court through a post on Truth Social, “The World is getting rich selling citizenships to our Country, while at the same time laughing at how STUPID our U.S. Court System has become (TARIFFS!) Dumb Judges and Justices will not a great Country make!”
On April 1, the Supreme Court met to discuss Trump’s request to change the 14th Amendment,Trump, President of U.S. v. Barbara Docket. Trump attended the Supreme Court’s oral arguments on birthright citizenship, which is legal but not common. Trump was the first-ever sitting president known to attend oral arguments at the Supreme Court.
Freshman Aurora Stevens says, “I think it’s a tricky situation because I think that even if your parents are immigrants, if you have lived in a country all your life, you were born there, then you should have the right to a citizenship there.”
Stevens shares her personal experience with dual citizenship. With dual citizenship, you can be a legal citizen of two or more countries at once, “But I know for a lot of other people, having multiple isn’t the case, and then they essentially wouldn’t have any citizenship, even if they have lived in the same country their whole life.”
The Supreme Court will reach a verdict by late June or early July. The majority of the public are swaying to keep birthright citizenship.
