The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutional right to birthright citizenship and ruled that states may ban transgender girls from public school sports.
These decisions resolve two high-profile legal battles regarding the interpretation of the 14th Amendment and the authority of state governments to regulate education and athletics.
In its ruling on June 30, 2026 [1], the Court found an executive order issued by President Donald Trump to end birthright citizenship unconstitutional. The justices said that citizenship remains guaranteed under the 14th Amendment for those born on U.S. soil.
This ruling serves as a significant check on executive power regarding immigration policy. By rejecting the order, the Court maintained the long-standing legal precedent that birthright citizenship cannot be revoked by presidential decree.
Simultaneously, the Court issued a ruling regarding athletic participation in publicly funded schools. The justices said that states possess the authority to regulate school sports, which includes the implementation of bans on transgender girls participating in those programs.
The Court said that such regulations fall under existing constitutional principles governing state authority over public education. This ruling allows individual states to maintain or enact restrictions on transgender athletes without violating federal law.
These two cases were part of three decisions issued by the Court to conclude its final term [2]. While the citizenship ruling limited federal executive reach, the sports ruling expanded the autonomy of state legislatures to define eligibility in school athletics.
The rulings come amid intense national debate over immigration, and gender identity in public institutions. The Court's split outcomes reflect a complex application of constitutional law to modern social and political conflicts.
“The Court found President Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship unconstitutional.”
These rulings demonstrate a bifurcated approach to federalism by the current Court. By protecting birthright citizenship, the Court reinforced a fundamental constitutional guarantee against executive overreach. Conversely, by permitting state-level bans on transgender athletes, the Court signaled a preference for state sovereignty in the administration of public education and social policy.
