WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court of the United States has struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order eliminating birthright citizenship, upholding the 14th Amendment instead.
Tuesday marked the last day of the Supreme Court’s term, and the decision was the last one issued. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion for a majority vote, six to three, which included both conservative and liberal judges, despite it being a majority conservative court.
Washington state leaders sent out statements Tuesday morning in response to the ruling.
Representative Pramila Jayapal
U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, released the following statement regarding today’s ruling from the Supreme Court upholding the right to birthright citizenship in the United States in the case of Trump v. Barbara.
“Donald Trump is not a king, and he cannot, with the stroke of a pen, change our Constitution. The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship, and this attempt to overturn it was yet another piece of his anti-immigrant, xenophobic agenda. Today’s ruling rightly reaffirms that if you are born in America, you are American, plain and simple.
“This ruling should settle this issue once in for all. I hope it is a signal to Donald Trump to stop putting forward executive orders that are clearly illegal, anti-immigrant and traumatizing to Americans across the country, and families who feared their children would be born stateless. This cruelty must stop. At least in this case, the majority of Supreme Court justices did the right thing.” Jayapal helped to lead an amicus brief in the case, which was signed by over 200 Members of Congress.
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay
Today, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship: “Today’s Supreme Court decision affirms the long-standing constitutional guarantee of citizenship to individuals born in this country. This ruling rightfully upholds the law and rejects a baseless attack by the Trump administration that would have denied citizenship to people born in the United States who may never know any other country as home.
“I was proud that King County opposed the Trump administration’s harmful executive order by joining an amicus brief that urged the Supreme Court to strike down the order. And I am proud to have issued my own ‘Welcoming County’ Executive Order, which underscores King County’s ongoing commitment to protecting and serving immigrant and refugee communities. Our work to combat the Trump administration’s dangerous attacks on immigrant rights continues and I hope today’s Supreme Court ruling brings some relief to families who can now look towards the future with certainty.
“I’m grateful for Attorney General Nick Brown’s leadership on this issue and for his commitment to protecting the rights of all Washingtonians.”
Attorney General Nick Brown
Attorney General Nick Brown released the following statement today after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship:
“Today’s ruling reaffirms one of the most important principles in our democracy—there is no hierarchy to American citizenship. The Constitution is clear on who enjoys that right, and the privileges, freedoms, and opportunities that come with it. It is affirmation that the truth is more powerful than President Trump’s lies, hate, and authoritarianism.
“Trump’s unconstitutional birthright citizenship order sparked our first lawsuit against this administration. It was impossible to bear the thought that thousands of babies born in Washington each year would be denied the key to full participation in American society. Not only that, but they would have been rendered stateless at birth with no country to claim as home.” “Even a Supreme Court that has played a leading role in the erasure of rights Americans have fought and died for could not stomach the administration’s line on this question. The Court’s decision reflects the plain language of the Constitution and 150 years of precedent. The only surprise is that the President tried to revoke birthright citizenship at all.”
Senator Patty Murray
“If you’re born in America, you’re an American.
Today’s decision is a victory but also a reminder that our constitutional values are under fierce attack by far-right extremists.
Democracy is an action. Use your voice and your vote to protect American democracy.”
Representative Rick Larsen
Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement:
“The Supreme Court today has affirmed what anyone who has read the Constitution knows: people born in the United States are U.S. citizens. Once again, the President’s attempt to shred the Constitution by Executive Order has failed.
“Thanks to the 14th amendment, birthright citizenship is a cornerstone of American history, culture and law. I stand with proud U.S. citizens in Northwest Washington and across America celebrating this decision.
”I will keep fighting to protect civil rights and defend the Constitution.”
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s January 20, 2025, executive order directing U.S. agencies not to recognize the citizenship of children born in the United States if neither parent is an American citizen nor holds a green card.