GOP lawmakers take up birthright citizenship fight after SCOTUS ruling
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The US Supreme Court in Washington, DC. Photo: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Congressional conservatives were quick to call for legislation — and even a constitutional amendment — to end automatic citizenship for people born in the U.S. after Tuesday's Supreme Court decision.
Why it matters: The ruling pushes Republicans' fight against birthright citizenship from the courts to Congress, where they face nearly impossible odds.
- Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) said on X that the majority's ruling "MAY have left Congress a door," adding, "I'm filing legislation to walk through it. And I'll keep working on a constitutional amendment to restore American citizenship."
- Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) called the decision "disappointing," noting that he'd "already filed an amendment to end birthright citizenship for those here illegally" back in April.
- "The Supreme Court has made its decision, now Congress needs to respond," said Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), highlighting bills he has proposed. "We need to be voting on these EVERY WEEK until we provide the American people with an answer for this question."
Driving the news: Trump wasted no time calling on Congress to act.
- "The Supreme Court upheld Birthright Citizenship...but we can easily make it up in Congress through Legislation," Trump posted on Truth Social. "Congress should start TODAY to work on ending expensive and unfair to our Country, Birthright Citizenship."
What they're saying: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) also expressed disappointment in the decision after he was informed of it by a reporter.
- "I think it subjects the country to serious challenges going forward, and we'll have to deal with it as a Congress," Johnson said.
- "This is the cheap and cheated citizenship the Supreme Court upholds today. The long fight for a constitutional amendment begins now," Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) posted on X.
- "Congress must take action and end unlimited birthright citizenship immediately," Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) said.
Reality check: A constitutional amendment is highly unlikely to happen.
- It would require approval by two-thirds of both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states.
- Both the House and the Senate have struggled to even reach simple majority votes on less divisive issues.
