Rising Voices Condemns Supreme Court Decision Threatening Birthright Citizenship

Detroit, MI — Rising Voices strongly condemns the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Trump v. CASA, which limits the ability of federal courts to block unlawful executive orders, including the Trump Administration’s attempt to undermine birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to undocumented parents or those holding temporary visas.

This unprecedented ruling does not make the Administration’s attempt to remove birthright citizenship constitutional. Still, it does restrict federal courts’ ability to issue universal, nationwide injunctions that block unlawful government actions. By limiting this vital tool, the decision makes it harder for impacted families to obtain broad relief and leaves communities vulnerable to unequal treatment and rights violations under future administrations. It opens the door for presidents to test unconstitutional policies that threaten basic protections guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.

“Birthright citizenship has been a cornerstone of our democracy for more than 150 years, and we will not stand by while politicians try to strip away that promise to score political points and appeal to blatantly racist, white nationalist ideology,” said Jasmine Rivera, Co-Executive Director of Rising Voices. “Every child born here deserves equal protection under the law, regardless of  their parents’ immigration status.”

In Michigan alone, thousands of families, particularly immigrant and refugee families, now face uncertainty about whether their children’s citizenship can be questioned. Rising Voices stands with communities who have always defended this fundamental right, from the landmark United States. v. Wong Kim Ark case, from more than a century ago to today’s fight against anti-immigrant attacks.

“This decision invites chaos and fear for immigrant communities across Michigan,” said Regina Tsang, Co-Executive Director of Rising Voices. “It signals that where you live could determine whether your children’s citizenship is secure, which goes against the very meaning of equal protection and the promise of America.”

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined with other states to push back on this unlawful overreach and Rising Voices will continue to organize to protect our communities and ensure every family knows their rights.

Rising Voices calls on local leaders, community members, and our allies across Michigan to stay vigilant, speak out, and demand policies that protect immigrant families instead of targeting them. We urge all Michiganders to reject fear and division and stand up for the basic truth that no child’s belonging should be up for debate.

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Rising Voices, a project of the Center for Empowered Politics, is a nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization that seeks to increase the civic participation of Asian Americans in Michigan by developing the leadership, organizing, and power-building capacity of Asian American women, youth, and communities. risingvoicesaaf.org