Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson delivered a sharp rebuke aimed at both Donald Trump and fellow Justice Clarence Thomas in a ruling on birthright citizenship.
The Ruling
The case challenged claims that the 14th Amendment s guarantee of citizenship to anyone born on American soil was originally intended only for the children of formerly enslaved people. Jackson s opinion firmly rejected this narrow interpretation.
The Scolding
Jackson directed pointed language at Trump s previous claims about birthright citizenship and at Thomas s concurring opinions that have questioned the breadth of the 14th Amendment. She argued that attempts to limit birthright citizenship ignore both the text and the spirit of the amendment.
Why It Matters
Birthright citizenship affects millions of Americans. Any successful challenge to it would fundamentally alter who counts as American. Jackson s opinion draws a clear line that the Court will not easily cross.
Bottom Line
Justice Jackson is not here to be polite. She called out a former president and a sitting colleague by the implications of their positions. That takes backbone.
