Rep. Junie Joseph Condemns Trump Administration’s Renewed Attack on Birthright Citizenship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 7, 2026

BOULDER, CO — State Representative Junie Joseph condemned President Donald Trump’s renewed efforts to restrict birthright citizenship, following the administration’s latest executive actions targeting citizenship for children born in the United States. The move comes just weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the administration’s attempt to restrict birthright citizenship in a 6-3 decision.

“The Fourteenth Amendment is clear: people born in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction are citizens of this country,” said Rep. Junie Joseph. “I strongly disagree with President Trump’s decision to continue pursuing restrictions on birthright citizenship after the Supreme Court has already rejected his attempt to do so. Citizenship should not depend on where your parents were born or their immigration status.”

The Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause was adopted after the Civil War to establish a constitutional guarantee of citizenship for people born in the United States and to overturn the legacy of Dred Scott v. Sandford, which denied citizenship to Black Americans. “The promise of America is that citizenship is not reserved for people with a particular ancestry,” Joseph said. “It is a constitutional right, and we should be defending that principle rather than finding new ways to undermine it.”

Joseph also expressed concern about the administration continuing to pursue restrictions after the Supreme Court’s ruling. “Our democracy depends on respecting the Constitution, the rule of law, and the role of our courts,” Joseph said. “When the Supreme Court speaks, we should respect its decisions rather than continue searching for ways around them.”

“As an immigrant who came to this country as a teenager, I know how powerful the promise of belonging can be,” Joseph said. “Every child born in this country deserves that same promise. I will continue to stand with immigrant families and defend the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of equal citizenship to guarantee equal protection for every child born here in Colorado.”