A House Judiciary Committee panel on Wednesday will examine the Supreme Court’s recent decision on birthright citizenship and potential legislative responses to it. A majority of the justices ruled in June to uphold the 14th Amendment practice, citing the Constitution as clearly enshrining jus soli, Latin for “right of the soil.” Following the decision, President Trump signed fresh executive orders targeting birthright citizenship and “birth tourism.” The hearing is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. EDT.
The legal battle over President Trump's executive order restricting birthright citizenship largely boils down to five words found in the 14th Amendment: "subject to the jurisdiction thereof." The big picture: The court's interpretation of that phrase could have massive implications for who gets to be an American — and therefore enjoy the rights and responsibilities that come with U.S. citizenship. Context: The 14th Amendment states, in part, that "[a]ll persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." - The administration argues that the phrase applies to those legally — and not temporarily — in the U.S. - The…
