WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling on birthright citizenship has left immigrant families across the country scrambling for answers and legal guidance amid growing confusion and fear.
The court sided with President Donald Trump’s request to limit federal judges’ authority but stopped short of directly deciding whether his order to restrict birthright citizenship is legal. This has created widespread uncertainty, especially among immigrants expecting children.
Lorena, a 24-year-old Colombian asylum seeker in Houston, is due to give birth in September and fears her child may not receive U.S. citizenship. “There are not many specifics,” she said. “I don’t know if I can give her my nationality or add her to my asylum case.”
Trump’s executive order, issued in January, directed federal agencies to deny automatic citizenship to babies born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen or legal resident. Although initially blocked by federal judges, the Supreme Court’s decision could allow the policy to take effect in 30 days — unless lower courts intervene further.
Immigration lawyers and advocacy groups reported a surge in calls from concerned families, especially in Republican-led states that did not challenge Trump’s order in court. Experts warn the ruling could create a confusing and unequal system across the country.
Meanwhile, advocates fear that the order, if implemented, could strip an estimated 150,000 newborns each year of their citizenship rights. “It creates different classes of people with different rights,” said Juliana Macedo do Nascimento of United We Dream. “That is really chaotic.”
Adding to the confusion, members of two advocacy groups — CASA and the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project — remain protected under earlier court rulings. However, it remains unclear how state officials would verify group membership or how families could secure protection in states where the order might be enforced.