NPR News: 06-30-2026 8PM EDT

Ryland Barton· Host0:00

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. In a six-three decision, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship. As NPR's Jimena Bustillo reports, the move is a stark rebuke to one of President Trump's day one executive orders.

Jimena Bustillo0:15

President Trump wanted to change the way the 14th Amendment of the Constitution was interpreted. He argued children of those who are not citizens or permanent residents should also not be citizens themselves. But a majority of justices interpreted the words, quote, "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" to mean that all children born in the U.S. are automatically granted citizenship, with the only exception being the children of foreign diplomats. Three justices, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Samuel Alito, dissented. Jimena Bustillo, NPR News, Washington.

Ryland Barton· Host0:46

President Trump said the birthright citizenship decision was, quote, "Too bad for our country," but that Congress could easily address it with legislation. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson says he's very disappointed and that Congress would have to deal with it, but without providing specifics. He said the 14th Amendment is being abused by people who are coming to the U.S. to have children.

Mike Johnson· Soundbite1:06

It's become a tourism, birthing tourism they call it, you know, a trend where people would just come, and you just come onto the soil and have your child, and then they're, they're able to avail themselves of the welfare state and everything else.

Ryland Barton· Host1:17

The Justice Department issued a statement today saying it is, quote, "committed to tackling illegal birth tourism schemes." A New Jersey Republican who went missing from Congress months ago has revealed depression was the reason he