Roughly 250 protesters assembled on the steps of the Supreme Court on Wednesday to voice support for birthright citizenship, drawing attention to a case that could reshape immigration policy. The demonstration marked an unusual moment: Donald Trump attended the proceedings from the public gallery, a rare appearance by a former president at oral arguments.
Demonstrators chanted in defense of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to those born on U.S. soil. The turnout underscored the stakes of the case being argued inside the building.
Among those present was Beija McCarter, an eighth-grade U.S. history teacher, and Noah Goldstein, a New York resident who had also participated in a transgender rights rally at the court the previous month. Both expressed skepticism about the justices' likely direction, though they showed up to make their voices heard.
The rallies reflect broader concerns about the court's trajectory on divisive social issues. Birthright citizenship has become a focal point in debates over immigration, with legal challenges mounting against the longtime practice of granting automatic citizenship to children born in the country, regardless of their parents' immigration status.
Trump has made opposition to birthright citizenship a centerpiece of his immigration platform, arguing that the practice needs to be reconsidered. The case currently before the justices will determine whether the 14th Amendment's citizenship clause applies universally or whether Congress can impose restrictions.
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