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New Jersey Review | May 15, 2025

Attorneys general defend birthright citizenship at Supreme Court hearing

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, along with a coalition of Attorneys General, has issued a joint statement regarding the Supreme Court's oral arguments on birthright citizenship. The group emphasized their unified stance in defending the established law and the rule of law in the United States.

"We were proud to stand together to defend birthright citizenship and the rule of law at the U.S. Supreme Court today," they stated. The coalition highlighted that for 127 years, since a landmark Supreme Court decision, it has been clear that individuals born in the United States are citizens of both the nation and their respective states. This principle has been upheld by administrations from both major political parties.

The statement further criticized the Trump Administration's argument presented before the Supreme Court. "As every court to have considered the policy agrees, the President’s attempt to end birthright citizenship is patently unconstitutional," they argued. The coalition expressed concern that allowing a president to revoke American citizenship based solely on birthplace would disrupt long-standing legal precedents and cause significant chaos.

"The President cannot rewrite the Constitution and contradict the Supreme Court’s own holdings with the stroke of a pen," concluded Attorney General Platkin and his colleagues.

In addition to Attorney General Platkin, this statement was endorsed by Attorneys General from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

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