politics
March 30, 2026
The Supreme Court Has Heard This One Before
Fringe elements of American society have never accepted that birthright citizenship is the law of the land.
TL;DR
- Birthright citizenship, recognized by the Supreme Court in 1898, is being challenged by the Trump administration.
- The current administration's arguments echo those made by the Native Sons of the Golden West during World War II, who also sought to limit birthright citizenship.
- The 1898 case *United States v. Wong Kim Ark* established that all persons born on U.S. soil are citizens, regardless of their parents' nationality or immigration status.
- The Trump administration argues that birthright citizenship should not apply to children born to parents who are temporarily in the U.S. or are undocumented immigrants.
- During World War II, the Native Sons of the Golden West unsuccessfully sued to deny citizenship to Japanese Americans born in the U.S., arguing they were not fully subject to U.S. jurisdiction due to dual citizenship (jus sanguinis).
- The article highlights the potential impact of reversing *Wong Kim Ark*, which could affect millions of people, including children of noncitizen immigrants and dual citizens.
- Historical figures and achievements of Japanese Americans, whose citizenship was challenged during WWII, are mentioned as examples of valuable contributions to the U.S.
Continue reading the original article