Washington, DC [US], April 2 : Demonstrators gathered outside the US Supreme Court as the justices began weighing President Donald Trump's landmark effort to abolish birthright citizenship. In a move that made history, the President attended the oral arguments in person, underscoring the high stakes of the legal challenge.
The scene outside the court on Wednesday was marked by intense debate as critics of the administration gathered to defend the long-standing constitutional practice. Speaking to ANI, one demonstrator expressed frustration over the move to overturn what many consider a fundamental pillar of American law.
"I think it is settled law. It has been decided long ago by the Supreme Court and by Congress that I think it's really awful that it has to come up again today because of an executive order by the Trump administration," the protestor said.
Reinforcing his stance ahead of the proceedings, President Trump lashed out at the policy on social media, labelling the United States as "the only country... stupid enough" to maintain the practice. These comments set the stage for his arrival at the Supreme Court to personally witness the pivotal hearing regarding the legal status of the tradition.
The United States is currently part of a group of approximately 30 nations, primarily situated in the Americas, that provide automatic nationality to individuals born on their soil. This policy, known as jus soli, stands in stark contrast to the legal frameworks of numerous countries throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa, which adhere to the jus sanguinis principle. Under that system, a person's citizenship is determined by the nationality of their parents rather than their specific geographic place of birth.
Marking a significant escalation in his administration's efforts to challenge this norm, the President departed the White House earlier today to attend the Court in person. According to a report by The Hill, he was present specifically to observe the legal presentation delivered by the administration's counsel, Solicitor General D. John Sauer.
The President spent approximately two hours inside the chamber before his departure. His appearance is widely considered to be the first time a sitting US leader has witnessed oral arguments in person, further galvanising the national debate over the executive challenge to birthright citizenship.
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