The United States Council of Catholic Bishops files an amicus brief with the United States Supreme Court on Thursday, February 26, 2026, affirming the rights of children born in the United States regardless of the legal residence status of their parents. This brief adds to other petitions to the Court to consider the legality of the Executive Order that set aside birthright citizenship after President Trump took the oath of office in 2025, EO 14160, signed January 20, 2025.

You can download and read the brief here.

The Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1868, guarantees birthright citizenship to all those born within the United States of America. Denying that right puts children at risk of being separated from their families, as the USCCB states in the Brief. The bishops present multiple arguments which point to the alignment of Catholic teaching and the Fourteenth Amendment, affirming the dignity and equality of every human being born in the United States.

Setting aside those protections, as indicated in the Brief, places vulnerable children at great risk and undermines their God-given human dignity.

All parishioners are encouraged to read the Brief; consider the numerous references cited in the document, including Biblical text, and consistent teaching of the Church over more than 100 years.