US President Trump became the first sitting president to attend oral arguments at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
His administration championed an executive order to end automatic birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to parents living temporarily or illegally in the United States.
Trump arrives at court at 10:00 am. However, he remained inside his motorcade for about an hour before leaving while Attorney General D. John Sauer concluded his opening argument.
The case is called Barbara v. Trump and involves an executive order issued on the first day of Trump’s second term.
The order has already been deemed unconstitutional by several lower courts, effectively halting its implementation.
The principle of birthright citizenship is well established, having been codified in the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which was ratified in 1868 and declares that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens.”
Several justices expressed skepticism toward the administration’s position during arguments.
Chief Justice John Roberts raised repeated questions about how the administration can expand limited historical exceptions, such as those for children of foreign diplomats, to include children of undocumented immigrants.
Additionally, Justice Elena Kagan noted that the text of the 14th Amendment does not support the arguments presented by the administration.
Judge Amy Coney Barrett also asked Sauer questions related to how the administration’s policy aligned with the original intent of granting citizenship through this amendment to formerly enslaved people.
The Supreme Court has to make a final decision in late June or early July, at the end of its term.
