Opinion: Ending birthright citizenship could be a public health disaster

The Supreme Court is anticipated to issue its ruling in Trump v. Barbara before the end of June, a case that challenges an executive order aimed at terminating birthright citizenship in the United States. This legal battle centers on the interpretation of the 14th Amendment's Citizenship Clause, which has historically granted U.S. citizenship to all individuals born within the country, irrespective of their parents' immigration status, with a limited exception for children of diplomats. Should birthright citizenship be ended, the U.S. undocumented population would significantly expand, and future administrations could potentially revoke the citizenship of numerous American-born children of immigrants. The author argues that such a change would also have severe repercussions for public health and bioethics. The current understanding of the 14th Amendment ensures that children born in the U.S. are citizens, a principle that has been in place for over a century and has been affirmed through various legal precedents. The potential nullification of this right raises concerns about creating a permanent underclass of stateless individuals within the nation, impacting access to healthcare, education, and social services for generations.