Trump v. Barbara

On behalf of more than 140+ local governments and local government leaders representing over 57 million people, Public Rights Project filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to stop the Trump administration from using an executive order to baselessly strip away birthright citizenship.

Established by the 14th Amendment, birthright citizenship grants the protections and privileges of American citizenship to children born in the United States. It applies regardless of the parents’ immigration status, meaning that nearly all children born on U.S. soil are recognized as citizens at birth. It’s recognized by the Constitution, Congress, and every court since it was established in 1868. 

Our brief argues that eliminating this right would create a multi-generational “subclass” of individuals who would face discrimination and render some children stateless. All of these things would threaten the community cohesion that local governments strive to create.

Our brief also explains that local governments will be forced to handle administrative burdens that complicate how they administer public benefits. Additionally, they’ll be left to deal with the effects of fewer people having access to health insurance and nutrition support, as well as decreased school funding. Cities with universities and research centers will also confront the economic impact if it becomes harder to attract students and researchers from other countries.

With a birth certificate no longer proving citizenship, all citizens would face new processes and obstacles to long-established systems. The consequences to communities would be severe and widespread; therefore, we’re asking the court to block the executive order from going into effect.

Read the amicus brief.