Chicago immigrant groups celebrate SCOTUS birthright ruling: 'A moment to engage'
Chicago immigrant groups celebrate Supreme Court birthright citizenship ruling
Local reaction to the SCOTUS decision is pouring in. More than 30 Chicago immigrant rights organizations gathered Tuesday afternoon to celebrate SCOTUS' birthright citizenship ruling.
CHICAGO - Several pivotal rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court were announced Tuesday, including a major decision preserving birthright citizenship. In a 6-3 ruling, the High Court reaffirmed that the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees U.S. citizenship to anyone born on American soil, regardless of their parents' immigration status.
In Chicago, dozens of local immigrant rights organizations gathered to celebrate the decision but said the fight over immigration rights is far from over.
Big picture view:
Immigration advocates — who have long opposed the Trump administration's immigration policies — are praising the Supreme Court's decision.
In its nearly 200-page opinion upholding birthright citizenship, the Supreme Court wrote: "Words appearing frequently in [President Trump's] Executive Order—'Mother,' 'Father,' 'Lawful,' 'Temporary'—are absent from the Clause. For a simple reason: They did not matter."
The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), the ACLU of Illinois, and dozens of other advocacy groups welcomed the decision while sharply criticizing the dissenting justices' views.
"No family in America needs to wonder if their newborn or expecting baby is or will be a citizen of the country they were born in. This is a win not only for immigrant communities, but all people concerned with defending our democracy," said Dulce Ortiz, board president for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
Advocates are calling the 6-3 decision a victory and say its timing is especially meaningful, coming just days before the nation's 250th birthday. They also say there is still more work to be done to protect the rights of immigrants and their families.
"Today's decision brings relief to many families, but it also reminds us that rights that have endured for generations can be taken away," said Paul Luu, CEO of the Chinese American Service League.
"This is not a moment to relax, this is a moment to engage," said Ed Yohnka, communications and public policy director for the ACLU of Illinois.
Dig deeper:
Mayor Brandon Johnson also weighed in on the ruling, saying it reaffirms that every child born here belongs here.
"Today's decision allows our residents to continue to live, work, and contribute to the fabric of our city without fear of losing their most fundamental right. We are proud to have stood in defense of the health, safety, and dignity of our communities," Johnson said.
Meanwhile, President Trump took to Truth Social, calling the Supreme Court's decision on birthright citizenship "too bad," adding that he plans to push Congress to take up legislation aimed at restricting it.