America's top judicial body agrees to consider legal challenge questioning birthright citizenship.
The top court has will hear a pivotal case that puts to the test a longstanding guarantee: guaranteed citizenship for people born on American soil.
On day one in office this January, the administration signed an order aiming to end the policy, but the move was struck down by federal courts after constitutional questions were filed.
The Supreme Court's eventual ruling will ultimately affirm citizenship rights for the children of migrants who are in the US undocumented or on temporary visas, or it will nullify the provision entirely.
Next, the judges will set a time to hear arguments between the administration and claimants, which include immigrant parents and their young children.
The Legal Foundation
For nearly 160 years, the Fourteenth Amendment has established the principle that all individuals born in the nation is a US citizen, with certain exclusions for children born to foreign diplomats and members of occupying armies.
"Every individual born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."
The contested executive order sought to refuse citizenship to the offspring of people who are either in the US illegally or are in the country on non-permanent visas.
The United States is one of about 30 countries – mostly in the Western Hemisphere – that provide automatic citizenship to any person born in their territory.
