The actual question before the Supreme Court on Thursday was in the procedural weeds, delving into the power lower court judges have to block policies nationwide.
But throughout the arguments, justices shed light on how they understand the policy that set the case in motion: President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 order to block automatic citizenship for people born on U.S. soil to parents who are undocumented migrants or traveling to the U.S. temporarily.
From the start, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said four existing cases already cement the idea that anyone born within U.S. jurisdiction is unquestionably an American citizen.