Trump's Birthright Citizenship Plan Faces Legal Hurdles

President-elect Donald Trump's renewed efforts to end birthright citizenship face significant legal challenges due to the longstanding precedent set by the 1898 Supreme Court case United States v. Wong Kim Ark. This case established that children born on U.S. soil are automatically granted U.S. citizenship, regardless of their parents' citizenship status. Legal experts, including UC Berkeley law professor Leti Volpp, emphasize that this precedent has not been eroded by subsequent rulings, posing a formidable obstacle to Trump's plans. Trump has proposed an executive order to reinterpret the 14th Amendment, which underpins birthright citizenship, although such a move would likely prompt judicial review. Senate legislation and potential Supreme Court reconsiderations are also being discussed as avenues to address this legal challenge. However, Trump's proposals have been criticized for potentially incentivizing illegal immigration and birth tourism, fueling a broader debate over U.S. immigration policy.