US Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship, Johnson Reacts

House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed deep disappointment on Tuesday after the Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, striking down an executive order from President Donald Trump that sought to curtail the long-standing constitutional provision. The court ruled 6-3 that the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees citizenship to children born in the United States, including those whose parents are undocumented or present on temporary visas.

Johnson learned of the ruling in real time during his weekly press conference, reacting with a groan and the words, "Oh dear." He told reporters he was "very disappointed in that outcome" and believed it would subject the country to serious challenges. The speaker, a constitutional lawyer, argued that the provision has been "grossly abused in recent years," specifically citing "birthing tourism," a trend where people travel to the U.S. to give birth so their children can obtain citizenship. He claimed this allows families to "avail themselves of the welfare state," though he did not provide supporting data.

While critical of the ruling, Johnson acknowledged that the path to change is difficult. He suggested that the conclusion from the court's...