SCOTUS weighs in on birthright citizenship plan

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday handed a win to the Trump administration by allowing it for now to take steps to implement its proposal to end automatic birthright citizenship.

In a 6-3 vote, the court granted a request by the Trump administration to narrow the scope of nationwide injunctions imposed by judges so that they apply only to states, groups and individuals that sued.

That means the birthright citizenship proposal can likely move forward at least in part, although the specifics remain to be seen and it could still be blocked by courts on other grounds.

NBC news reported the ruling immediately sparked a response from plaintiffs who have sued to block the executive order, with their lawyers vowing to continue the legal fight. One group of plaintiffs filed an amended lawsuit within hours after the ruling.

It has long been widely accepted, including by legal scholars on left and right, that the Constitution’s 14th Amendment confers automatic citizenship to almost anyone born in the United States.

The decision did not touch upon the legal merits of Trump's plan.