Rubio's 2016 Birthright Citizenship Stance Surfaces as Supreme Court Considers Trump Order

Marco Rubio, currently serving as Secretary of State, previously defended the conventional interpretation of birthright citizenship during his 2016 presidential campaign, a stance that contradicts the current administration's position under President Donald Trump. Rubio's 2016 court filing argued that the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to nearly all children born in the U.S. regardless of their parents' immigration status, countering claims that children of non-citizen parents are not subject to U.S. jurisdiction. In contrast, President Trump's January executive order seeks to restrict birthright citizenship, excluding U.S.-born children from citizenship if their parents are undocumented, temporary residents, or not lawful permanent residents. This executive order has been blocked in lower courts, and the administration has asked the Supreme Court to hear the case, highlighting a significant legal and ideological clash. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott dismissed the resurfaced 2016 arguments as irrelevant, emphasizing Rubio's alignment with Trump's agenda despite the apparent contradiction. The debate underscores shifting conservative legal perspectives and raises questions about citizenship's impact on presidential eligibility.