Trump says birthright citizenship was intended for ‘babies of slaves, not the rich' 

Trump argues birthright citizenship was designed for enslaved families, not modern immigrants

US President Donald Trump has argued that the original legal basis for birthright citizenship was designed exclusively for the children of enslaved people and not for immigrants entering the country illegally or temporarily.

His comments come as the US Supreme Court prepares to hear his administration’s appeal defending his executive order restricting automatic citizenship. In an interview with Politico, Trump defended the order and warned of severe consequences if his administration loses in court.

He insisted that the landmark case underpinning the 14th Amendment must be interpreted within its Civil War-era context. Trump argued that the historic case linked to the 14th Amendment must be understood in its original context.

“...The case is very interesting because that case was meant for the babies of slaves. And if you look at the dates on the case, it was exactly having to do with the Civil War. That case was not meant for some rich person coming from another country, dropping ... putting a foot in our country, and all of a sudden their whole family becomes, you know, United States citizens," he said.

He asserted that the ruling had a narrow purpose. “That case is all about slaves, the babies of slaves, and it was a good reason for doing it. And that's all it was about, and people now are understanding it. It's been explained to 'em. And I think the court understands it, too. That would be a devastating decision if we lose that case," he added.

Trump also warned of the economic impact he believes birthright citizenship now poses. "When that happened, that was meant for the ... the babies of slaves, and if you look at the exact dates that it was passed, it all had to do with the Civil War and the ending of the Civil War. It's that little period of time, and people now are starting to understand that," he said.

He further argued that America “cannot afford to house tens of millions of people who came in through birthright citizenship,” again insisting the provision was designed specifically for children born to enslaved people in the post-Civil War era.

The Supreme Court agreed last week to review the constitutionality of Trump’s executive order, which states that children born to parents in the US illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.

Lower courts have blocked the order, finding it violates the 14th Amendment, which has long been interpreted to confer citizenship on nearly everyone born on US soil. Arguments are scheduled for the spring, with a ruling expected by early summer.

Trump signed the order on January 20, the first day of his second term, as part of a broader immigration crackdown. The policy would reverse more than 125 years of legal interpretation, though it does not apply retroactively.

Multiple federal courts have halted its implementation, citing the amendment’s explicit intent to guarantee citizenship to Black Americans, including formerly enslaved people.