As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to issue a verdict on a case challenging birthright citizenship, many immigrant mothers in Chicago and elsewhere are facing an uncertain future regarding the legal status of their U.S.-born children. The case, Trump v. Barbara, contests the constitutionality of an executive order by former President Donald Trump that seeks to end birthright citizenship—a policy established in 1868 granting automatic U.S. citizenship to anyone born on American soil.
For expectant mothers like Yenifer, an asylum seeker from Venezuela now seven months pregnant and living in Chicago, the stakes could not be higher. Having fled violence and poverty, Yenifer worries that if the court upholds Trump’s order, her unborn daughter may be left stateless. With Venezuelan consulates in the U.S. largely inactive and the country’s embassy in Washington, D.C., non-operational, she fears she will be unable to secure her child’s Venezuelan citizenship or passport. “What type of birth certificate will I get in the hospital? Will she be a nobody?” Yenifer said.
Similar concerns were voiced by other immigrant mothers, many of whom preferred to remain anonymous because of their immigration status. They worry that without birthright citizenship, their children could lack essential identification documents, which would hinder access to vital services such as healthcare, education, and food assistance. This situation could also complicate travel and future legal opportunities. Some court observers expect the Supreme Court to maintain birthright citizenship, but acknowledge the justices’ unpredictability makes the outcome uncertain.
Legal experts and advocates warn that ending birthright citizenship could create a sizeable population of U.S.-born children considered undocumented, potentially resulting in a long-term underclass lacking legal protections. Conchita Cruz, co-executive director of the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, emphasized that many asylum seekers hesitate to register their children as citizens of the countries they fled, due to fears of persecution—heightening the risk of statelessness.
The case also highlights broader issues with consular support. For Venezuelan families, limited consular services in the United States have complicated the process of registering births and securing citizenship for U.S.-born children, despite efforts like an online system called SAIME. Advocates say these alternatives remain insufficient and slow, leaving families in a bureaucratic limbo.
Some mothers, such as Liza from Russia, fear persecution if forced to engage with their home country’s authorities, which further complicates the citizenship prospects for their children should U.S. nationality be denied. The consequences of these uncertainties weigh heavily on many families, exacerbating the challenges posed by poverty, legal status insecurity, and limited access to resources.
Under current Illinois procedures, hospitals submit birth information to the state’s Vital Records System, enabling issuance of certified birth certificates and Social Security numbers. However, if the executive order takes effect, federal agencies may change these processes, though details remain unclear. A memo from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services suggests some children denied citizenship might receive a parent’s temporary immigration status, but it offers no guidance for children whose parents lack legal status altogether.
In Chicago, mothers like Paola, another asylum seeker, are struggling not only with legal anxieties but also with daily hardships including lack of money, food insecurity, and shelter. Paola worries that if birthright citizenship ends, she may have to turn to her home country’s consulate—which she cannot afford to do. She described her situation as even more difficult than when she left Colombia.
As the nation awaits the Supreme Court’s decision, these immigrant families confront an uncertain future where the fundamental question—who is a citizen at birth—remains unresolved. Their concerns underscore the potential social and humanitarian implications of redefining birthright citizenship in the United States.