This week, the Supreme Court heard a case that should have every one of us paying attention — a case that could strip millions of children born in this country of the right to be called American.

At issue is Donald Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship through executive order. His administration claims that children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants or foreign nationals shouldn’t automatically be granted citizenship. But let’s be clear: the 14th Amendment says otherwise — and has for over 150 years.

This isn’t just a legal technicality. This is a direct attack on the Constitution and on the communities many of us call home.

As Chair of the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County, and as someone who was born and raised in New Mexico, I know what’s really at stake. Our state is home to rich, intergenerational immigrant communities. It’s part of our identity, our culture, and our strength. This order is a slap in the face to families who contribute every day to the fabric of our country, yet are constantly forced to prove that they belong.

During the Supreme Court hearing on May 15, the justices were focused on the legal limits of nationwide injunctions — but make no mistake, the real target is birthright citizenship itself. Even some conservative justices seemed skeptical of the Trump administration’s end game. Justice Amy Coney Barrett even questioned why the administration wasn’t willing to argue the constitutionality of the order directly. It’s clear the administration knows their argument is weak — legally and morally.

But Trump’s strategy isn’t about the law. It’s about fear. It’s about rewriting the rules to fit his agenda — an agenda that seeks to erase immigrant contributions and weaponize identity for political gain.

This is all part of a much larger project: from the playbook of Project 2025 to ongoing voter suppression, we’re watching a coordinated attack on the very foundations of our democracy. And we can’t afford to stay quiet about it.

In Bernalillo County, we believe in justice, fairness, and the promise of America. We believe that if you’re born here, you belong here. And we believe no president gets to take that away.

So let this be a call to action.

We must organize. We must inform our communities. We must defend the Constitution — not just in courtrooms, but in our neighborhoods, at the ballot box, and across every level of government.

If Trump wins this fight, it won’t stop with birthright citizenship. When authoritarians take one freedom, they move on to assault the next.

Somos Unidos,
Jacob Trujillo
Chair, Democratic Party of Bernalillo County