Immigration advocates in Northeast Ohio are celebrating the Supreme Court’s decision to affirm birthright citizenship.
The court on Tuesday voted 6-3 to uphold birthright citizenship, with Chief Justice John Roberts citing the Fourteenth Amendment, which says, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."
President Trump signed an executive order his first day in office seeking to bar citizenship for babies born in the U.S. to parents who entered the country illegally or who are living legally with temporary visas, NPR reported. Trump has maintained that the Constitution does not guarantee birthright citizenship.
The order was not intended to retroactively remove citizenship from birthright citizens, but that was still a concern to Cleveland immigration attorney Ayla Blumenthal, of Margaret W. Wong and Associates, who said putting birthright citizenship in jeopardy created an uneasy narrative around newcomers to the country.
"It seemed very much targeted towards the children of immigrants and targeted towards children of immigrants who are on public benefits," Blumenthal said. “It's a sign that we're leaning away from a more compassionate, humane perspective where we actually care about children and we actually care about people who need help and we think of ourselves as a community."
Blumenthal is a birthright citizen herself. She said a ruling in the other direction would have affected many immigrant families in Northeast Ohio.
"The Supreme Court's been coming out with a lot of decisions. This one's a win. There were a bunch that were not wins," Blumenthal said. “There [are] millions of people who are stateless worldwide, so it's not a small problem and it's something that we would really be contributing to if we were to reverse a position on birthright citizenship.”
Demographic estimates suggest approximately 700 to 1,000 children born in Northeast Ohio each year could have been affected by changes to birthright citizenship, according to nonprofit Global Cleveland.
"At the heart of this work are people, families and communities," Joe Cimperman, president and CEO of Global Cleveland, said in a statement issued Tuesday. "Every day, we see the talent, determination and perspective that international newcomers bring to Northeast Ohio. Today's decision provides certainty for many families, and we'll continue connecting people to opportunity, strengthening our communities and helping our region grow together."
Tessa Xuan is a co-director of OPAWL, a progressive Asian feminism group formerly known as the Ohio Progressive Asian Women’s Leadership. She said it’s concerning the ruling was not unanimous.
"Ohioans are a bit safer in terms of having our constitutional rights protected. But you know, the administration has had a pattern since day one, especially in the second term, of trying to use every tool at its disposal to contest who belongs here and who gets a say in our democracy," Xuan said.
Xuan is also a birthright citizen.
"I am an example of how birthright citizenship has helped families really get a fair chance at a better life and a chance to plan ahead for the future, put roots down, invest, find stability and contribute to our communities," Xuan said. "Rewriting this part of the constitution would have completely upended U.S. society as we know it."
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb emphasized the importance of preserving opportunities for future generations.
"Cleveland is a city where families can put down roots, children can dream without limits, and every resident has the opportunity to belong,” Bibb said in a statement. “Today's ruling reaffirms a principle that has helped generations of Clevelanders build lives, strengthen neighborhoods and create a brighter future."
That same commitment extends across Cuyahoga County.
"Cuyahoga County’s greatest strength is found in its people, who enrich our community through their diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences," said Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne. "Birthright citizenship is a foundational element of our country and today’s ruling reaffirms our nation as a beacon of opportunity and freedom around the world.”
While Tuesday's Supreme Court ruling provides more certainty for many families, Global Cleveland said it will continue partnering with employers, local governments and community organizations to connect international newcomers with opportunities.
