U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, has filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the cases Trump v. Washington and Trump v. Barbara. The brief contends that the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment does not automatically grant citizenship to children born in the United States to parents who are present in the country illegally.
Senator Cruz stated upon filing, “Birthright citizenship is an abuse of our system and is an incentive for illegal immigration. It is unconstitutional, undermines the value of U.S. citizenship, and contrary to the original meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment. I hope the Supreme Court will affirm that American citizenship is reserved for those who abide by and uphold our laws.”
Earlier this year, Cruz joined Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) in introducing legislation known as the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025. This bill seeks to end automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants or individuals temporarily residing in the country.
Ted Cruz has a history of electoral victories in Texas Senate races, including defeating Colin Allred in 2024 with 53.1% of votes compared to Allred’s 44.6%, winning against Beto O'Rourke in 2018 with 50.9% over O'Rourke's 48.3%, and securing victory over Paul Sadler in 2012 with 56.5% against Sadler’s 40.6%.
