Trump's Birthright Citizenship Challenge Reignites 19th-Century Racism Narrative

The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to overturn birthright citizenship, arguing with 19th-century arguments (notably by Alexander Porter Morse) that the 14th Amendment should be read to restrict citizenship. Scholars say the push draws on anti‑Black and anti‑Chinese racism from the post‑Civil War era. If successful, the case could redefine who is a citizen for children born in the United States to immigrant parents, with a decision anticipated by the summer.