Washington, Dec 5 (EFE). - The U.S. Supreme Court announced this Friday that it will accept and hear arguments on the legality of President Donald Trump's executive order to limit birthright citizenship, after ruling to lift the injunctions imposed by lower courts on the controversial policy.
The Supreme Court's decision means a review of a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which since the 19th century has guaranteed U.S. citizenship to people born on U.S. soil—a right that Trump wants to deny to children of undocumented parents or those with temporary visas.
Last June, the conservative majority of the high court (6-3) sided with the Republican in his request to lift the injunctions issued by judges in Maryland, Washington, and Massachusetts. These judges, in separate rulings, determined that the president does not have the authority to change or restrict the Constitution.
At that time, the Supreme Court did not rule on the constitutionality of Trump's executive order, but rather on the jurisdiction of the lower courts and the legality of their decisions to block an executive order nationwide.
Limiting automatic citizenship for the children of irregular migrants was one of the Republican's campaign promises, who returned to power on January 20 with a tough anti-immigration policy.
Trump signed the order on the same day he began his second term.
Legal experts, human rights advocates, and critics of the president have questioned the merits of this limitation, pointing out that birthright citizenship is a constitutional right that cannot be revoked by a presidential order.
According to a study by the Migration Policy Institute, about 255,000 babies a year could be affected by these birthright citizenship limitations.
Trump has defended his position by saying that the 14th Amendment was passed after the Civil War to protect the "children of slaves" and not for "those who take vacations to get U.S. citizenship".
