America's top judicial body agrees to hear legal challenge questioning birthright citizenship.
The nation's highest court has agreed to take on a significant case that challenges a historic constitutional right: birthright citizenship for people born in the United States.
On his first day in office this January, the administration issued an executive order aiming to end this practice, but the move was struck down by federal courts after constitutional questions were brought forward.
The Supreme Court's final ruling will either support citizenship rights for the children of immigrants who are in the US illegally or on short-term permits, or it will end those rights entirely.
Next, the judges will schedule a date to hear arguments between the government and the suing parties, which include immigrant parents and their infants.
The 14th Amendment
For more than 150 years, the Fourteenth Amendment has established the principle that anyone born in the country is a US citizen, with exceptions for children born to diplomats and members of foreign military forces.
"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."
The disputed presidential order sought to refuse citizenship to the offspring of people who are whether in the US in violation of immigration law or are in the country on non-permanent visas.
The United States belongs to a group of about a minority of states – largely in the North and South America – that award instant citizenship to any person born in their territory.
