House Speaker Responds to Supreme Court Birthright Citizenship Ruling

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) reacted to the Supreme Court’s recent decision regarding birthright citizenship, which overturned President Donald Trump’s attempt to change the existing policy. Johnson argued that birthright citizenship has been “grossly abused.”

In a narrow 5-4 ruling, the court determined that Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship breached the 14th Amendment. The order, issued in January 2025, asserted that “The privileges of U.S. citizenship do not automatically apply to persons born in the United States,” particularly affecting those born to mothers who were unlawfully present or temporarily present in the U.S. at the time of birth, as well as those whose fathers lacked citizenship or legal residency.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who agreed with the ruling, emphasized that while he believed the order broke federal law—a matter Congress could possibly alter—he did not think that the Constitution outright forbade Trump’s action.

At a press conference where he learned about the ruling, Speaker Johnson remarked, “You could say this is an originalist, originalist view, but I think it’s been grossly abused in recent years.” He elaborated on the concept of birthright citizenship abuse, suggesting that it has transformed into a form of “birth tourism,” where individuals come to the country specifically to give birth and gain access to state benefits.

He stated, “This is a claim that the plaintiffs in this case were making, and we are very sympathetic to that because this is a serious issue.” Johnson stressed that birthright citizenship was intended for a noble purpose but has now been misused and altered.

“It’s been misused. It’s one of those things that was meant to serve a noble and important purpose, and it’s been thwarted, abused, and abused,” he said, indicating ongoing attention to the matter.

Johnson further noted that resolving this issue might require amending the Constitution, a complex and rare process, having occurred only 27 times in U.S. history. This challenge, he pointed out, involves securing two-thirds support from both congressional chambers and three-quarters of the states, making it a long and complicated endeavor.

Expressing disappointment with the ruling, Johnson concluded, “I think it’s going to expose this country to serious challenges going forward. We’re going to have to address that as a Congress.”