The United States Supreme Court has rejected President Donald Trump's attempt to restrict birthright citizenship, ruling that children born on American soil to parents living in the country illegally or temporarily remain entitled to US citizenship under the Constitution.

In a closely watched 6-3 decision delivered on the final day of its term, the nation's highest court upheld long-standing constitutional protections under the 14th Amendment, dealing a major legal setback to the Trump administration's immigration agenda.

The ruling leaves intact lower court decisions that blocked an executive order signed by Trump on the first day of his second term, which sought to deny automatic citizenship to children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants and certain temporary visa holders.

Supreme Court Upholds 14th Amendment

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts reaffirmed that the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to nearly everyone born on US soil.

"Children born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are 'subject to the jurisdiction' of the United States and are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment's Citizenship Clause," Roberts wrote.

The ruling preserves a constitutional principle that has existed for more than a century and maintains automatic citizenship for most children born in the United States.

Trump's Executive Order Challenged

Trump's executive order argued that children born to parents who entered the country illegally or were residing in the United States on temporary visas should not automatically qualify for citizenship.

The administration contended that such individuals were not fully "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States as required by the Constitution.

However, federal courts blocked the order, finding that it conflicted with the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment.

In an unprecedented move for a sitting US president, Trump personally attended oral arguments before the Supreme Court in April.

He remained in court for the presentation by Solicitor General John Sauer, who defended the administration's position, but left before arguments by American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorney Cecillia Wang, who represented those challenging the executive order.

Immigration Policy at the Centre of Dispute

The effort to end birthright citizenship formed part of Trump's broader immigration agenda, which includes stricter border enforcement and expanded deportation policies.

During the hearing, the administration argued that unrestricted birthright citizenship encourages illegal immigration and "birth tourism," where foreign nationals travel to the United States specifically to give birth so their children obtain American citizenship.

The 14th Amendment, ratified after the American Civil War, states:

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."

While the constitutional protection does not extend to children of foreign diplomats, the administration argued that it should also exclude children born to undocumented immigrants and temporary visitors.

Court Reaffirms Historic Precedent

In rejecting the administration's argument, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the legal principles established in the landmark 1898 Wong Kim Ark case.

In that decision, the court ruled that Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco to Chinese parents, was a United States citizen by birth despite laws restricting Chinese immigration at the time.

That precedent has remained the cornerstone of birthright citizenship in the United States for more than 125 years.

The latest ruling marks another significant legal setback for the Trump administration as it seeks to implement key elements of its immigration agenda, while reaffirming constitutional protections governing American citizenship by birth.