Clarence Thomas shreds ruling that ‘devalues’ citizenship in Supreme Court dissent

Published June 30, 2026 7:51pm ET | Updated June 30, 2026 7:52pm ET



Justice Clarence Thomas shredded the Supreme Court‘s ruling striking down President Donald Trump‘s birthright citizenship order on Tuesday, accusing the majority ruling of using an “alternative history” of the 14th Amendment and expressing dismay over how it “devalues” citizenship.

The high court ruled 5-4 that the 14th Amendment provides citizenship to children born in the United States, including those born to parents in the country illegally or temporarily. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion finding Trump’s order, which stated that children born to parents illegally or temporarily in the U.S. were not citizens at birth, was not only unlawful, but unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment. Thomas wrote a 91-page dissent explaining why he would have upheld the order, while also ripping the majority’s ruling.

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