![\"South](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-129974286,imgsize-92712,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/1280720-2026-04-02t151131642.jpg\" "\\".\\"")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe South Asian American Justice Collaborative (SAAJCO) joined hundreds of community members and advocates outside the US Supreme Court as justices heard oral arguments in a closely watched case on birthright citizenship.Calling the moment \u201cfundamental,\u201d SAAJCO representatives said the case could have far-reaching consequences for immigrant communities, particularly South Asians, one of the fastest-growing immigrant groups in the United States.\u201cThe energy today was powerful\u2026 this is about recognizing that when one community is impacted, we all are,\u201d said Chirag Shah, programme manager at SAAJCO, underscoring the collective nature of the mobilisation.The case centres on challenges to an executive order that seeks to reinterpret the scope of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to those born on US soil. Legal experts say any shift in interpretation could redefine long-standing constitutional protections.Trump\u2019s executive order (EO), which was signed soon after he took office, points out that the 14th<\/sup> Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the US. It has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the US but not \u2018subject to the jurisdiction thereof.\u2019 In the context of legal immigrants, the EO stated: \u201cThe privilege of US citizenship does not automatically extend to persons born in the US: When the mother\u2019s presence in the US at the time of said person\u2019s birth was lawful but temporary (such as, but not limited to, visiting the US under the auspices of the Visa Waiver Program or visiting on a student, work, or tourist visa) and the father was not a US citizen or lawful permanent resident (which means a green card holder) at the time of said person\u2019s birth.\u201dConcerns over retroactive impact and immigrant status<\/span>SAAJCO, which also submitted an amicus brief in the case, highlighted historical parallels and warned against narrowing constitutional guarantees.\u201cTwo things stood out. Justice Sotomayor rightly raised the denaturalization of South Asians after Thind ruling and whether changes to birthright citizenship could be applied retroactively. Reading new conditions into the 14th Amendment is already deeply concerning. While the government offered assurances about limiting its scope, those limits may not hold over time. This administration has not thought through how far-reaching the implications are,\u201d said Kalpana V. Peddibhotla, Executive Director of SAAJCO. \u201cSecond, the government relied on the idea of \u2018temporary visitors\u2019 to argue that birthright citizenship should turn on domicile. That directly implicates families who have lived here for years or decades on H-1B visas, in asylum, and in other statuses due to green card backlogs.\u201d Risk of statelessness flagged<\/span>Legal experts and advocacy groups have also raised alarms about the administrative and humanitarian fallout if the order is upheld. According to SAAJCO legal director Anisa Rahim, the court itself acknowledged potential administrative burdens during arguments.\u201cFor South Asians\u2026 that means many babies would be denied citizenship at birth,\u201d Rahim said, warning that some could be left stateless. She added that several South Asian countries do not automatically grant citizenship to children born abroad, which could exacerbate the risk of statelessness for affected families.Broader implications<\/span>Advocates argue that the case goes beyond legal technicalities, touching on identity, belonging and the rights of immigrant communities in the US. SAAJCO\u2019s amicus brief challenges the notion of South Asians as \u201cforever foreign\u201d and underscores their long-standing presence in the country.With the court\u2019s decision expected in the coming months, the outcome could reshape immigration law and citizenship rights, with ripple effects across communities\u2014including a large Indian diaspora closely following developments.For now, groups like SAAJCO say they will continue mobilising public support and legal advocacy as the case unfolds.<\/p>\n