The nation's highest court agrees to hear legal challenge challenging citizenship by birth.
The top court has will hear a significant case that puts to the test a historic constitutional right: birthright citizenship for people born in the United States.
On day one in office this winter, the administration enacted a directive aiming to halt birthright citizenship, but the order was halted by federal courts after lawsuits were filed.
The Supreme Court's eventual decision will ultimately affirm citizenship rights for the infants of foreign nationals who are in the US undocumented or on temporary visas, or it will overturn the provision altogether.
Next, the judges will set a time to hear oral arguments between the government and the suing parties, which involve immigrant parents and their newborns.
The 14th Amendment
For over a century and a half, the Constitutional amendment has enshrined the principle that anyone born in the country is a US citizen, with certain exclusions for children born to foreign diplomats and members of foreign military forces.
"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 whether in the US without legal status or are in the country on non-permanent visas.
The United States is among about a minority of states – largely in the North and South America – that grant automatic citizenship to any person born within their borders.
