House Speaker Mike Johnson announced during a television interview on July 5, 2026, that Congress will pursue legislative avenues to restrict birthright citizenship.
The move follows a Supreme Court decision that invalidated a presidential executive order on the matter.
Supreme Court Ruling
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Trump v.
Barbara, striking down an executive order that attempted to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants and temporary visitors.
Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, confirmed that the 14th Amendment protects citizenship for anyone born on American soil.
He noted that the jurisdiction clause refers plainly to the territory governed by the United States.
House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed concern over the current immigration framework during his appearance on Fox News Sunday.
"It's a threat to the rule of law and national security. We do need to address it," said Johnson.
Johnson noted that congressional Republicans are evaluating multiple legal strategies to address the issue immediately if viable legislation is identified.
"If there is a bill that can fix that, we'll advance that immediately," said Johnson.
Following the high court's decision, President Donald Trump also urged immediate legislative intervention from lawmakers.
"No long and unwieldy Constitutional Amendment is necessary!" said Trump.
In the judicial opinions, the justices showed varying perspectives on congressional authority regarding the 14th Amendment.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested that statutory modifications could potentially alter citizenship rules for children of undocumented residents.
Additionally, Johnson stated that leadership would attempt to pass the SAVE America Act through the budget reconciliation process when lawmakers return to Washington.
"We're going to try one more time on a budget reconciliation bill, and I think that will be the way to get it through the Senate, and finally to the president's desk," said Johnson.
The chamber had previously entered recess following procedural disagreements among House Republicans before the holiday weekend.
"I just decided it was best to send everybody home to go celebrate July Fourth in their districts.
We'll come back, gather everybody together," said Johnson.
The voting legislation remains a central objective for both the administration and House leadership moving forward into the legislative session.
"The big urgency is to get SAVE America passed. The president has that as a top priority, and so do I," said Johnson.
