Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy, blasted the Supreme Court’s birthright citizenship ruling, calling it “destructive” and “outrageous.”
The Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment on Tuesday. The court invalidated Trump’s order and reaffirmed that birthright citizenship applies to children born in the United States, even those born to parents who are in the country illegally or temporarily.
Trump’s order would have preserved birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. with at least one parent who is a citizen or lawful permanent resident, while excluding children born to parents who are both in the country illegally or temporarily, such as those in the process of acquiring visas.
Miller criticized the ruling and defended a narrow interpretation of citizenship under the Constitution, calling it in a post on X: “One of the most destructive and outrageous decisions in the long history of the Supreme Court.”
“American citizenship is not the birthright of the world. It belongs only and solely to Americans,” Miller continued.” No provision of the Constitution can be read to require our national self-obliteration.”
In the Trump v. Barbara ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts authored the court’s majority opinion and was joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh penned an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part, arguing that the executive order should be struck down but saying that Congress can take action to narrow birthright citizenship. Kavanaugh argued the order does not violate the 14th Amendment, but does violate federal law, which Congress can change.
Dissenting opinions filed by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch stated that Trump’s order was consistent with the original meaning of the 14th Amendment.
SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN TRUMP’S BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP EXECUTIVE ORDER
Trump responded to the ruling multiple times on Truth Social on Tuesday.
“The Supreme Court upheld Birthright Citizenship, which is too bad for our Country, but we can easily make it up in Congress through Legislation, with the support of the President, that has now been determined during this process,” he wrote. “No long and unwieldy Constitutional Amendment is necessary! Congress should start TODAY to work on ending expensive and unfair to our Country, Birthright Citizenship. They will have my Complete and Total Support! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
He subsequently wrote: “I would like to congratulate President Xi, and the Great Country of China, on their massive Birthright Citizenship WIN! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Jack Birle contributed to this report.