Attorney General Bonta Issues Statement Following U.S. Supreme Court Oral Arguments on Birthright Citizenship Case

WASHINGTON, D.C. — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement following the U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments on President Trump’s unconstitutional attempt to terminate birthright citizenship. 

On his first day in office in 2025, President Trump issued an executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to undocumented parents or parents who are here on a legal, temporary basis. Attorney General Bonta immediately co-led a coalition in filing a lawsuit challenging the order and repeatedly obtained nationwide preliminary injunctions that blocked this order from ever taking effect. The Supreme Court is now considering the validity of this order in a separate case brought by a class of children who would lose citizenship under the order. Attorney General Bonta co-led another coalition of attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in that case last month.

“Birthright citizenship is foundational to American democracy. It’s the promise that any child born here is equal under American law, regardless of race, class, creed, or parental background. It’s a guarantee that every child born here has a personal stake in the American dream,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It tells you something that President Trump willfully chose to start his second term by trying to knock down this fundamental and longstanding right. Fortunately, I believe he will fail. Every court to date has rejected the President’s unlawful overreach of executive power, and after listening to oral arguments today, I’m optimistic that the Supreme Court will again affirm the constitutional right to birthright citizenship.”