King-Hinds urges respect for Supreme Court process after birthright citizenship ruling

Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds urged Americans to respect both the U.S. Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling and the constitutional process behind it, saying the decision goes beyond immigration policy and reinforces the proper roles of the courts, Congress, and the Constitution.

"Like many Americans, I've been following the Supreme Court's birthright citizenship case very closely. Now that the Court has spoken, I respect its decision and, just as importantly, I respect the constitutional process that got us here," King-Hinds said in an email to Marianas Press.

She said while Americans may disagree over immigration policy, the Constitution provides the framework for resolving those disputes.

"Reasonable people can disagree about immigration policy. That's part of living in a democracy. But our Constitution also gives us a process for resolving those disagreements, and I believe we should trust that process."

King-Hinds added that constitutional questions carry particular significance for the Northern Mariana Islands.

"As the delegate for the Northern Mariana Islands, I know firsthand that constitutional questions matter. Our islands have a unique relationship with the United States, and we've seen how important it is for courts, Congress, and the Constitution to each play their proper role."

In a social media video posted after the decision, King-Hinds explained that the Supreme Court reaffirmed that people born in the United States are U.S. citizens regardless of whether their parents were in the country illegally or temporarily.

"The Supreme Court ruled that if you're born in the United States, you are a U.S. citizen, even if your parents were here illegally or only temporarily. The court also said that's what the 14th Amendment means."

She said the justices were deciding what the Constitution requires rather than weighing in on immigration policy.

"Whether you agree with birthright citizenship or not, that's a policy debate. But that's not what the Supreme Court was deciding today. The court's job here was to answer one question: What does the Constitution say? And today, five justices said the Constitution protects birthright citizenship."

Independent congressional candidate Galvin S. Deleon Guerrero also welcomed the ruling, saying it not only protects millions of Americans but also reinforces the CNMI Covenant's guarantee of U.S. citizenship.

"It is very reassuring that the United States Supreme Court has reaffirmed citizenship for anyone born or naturalized in the United States. In addition to protecting millions of Americans, the Court's ruling also upholds the promise of citizenship enshrined in the CNMI's Covenant," Deleon Guerrero said in a statement last July 1.

He cited Chief Justice John G. Roberts' majority opinion and noted that the Covenant likewise guarantees that "Citizens of the Northern Mariana Islands will be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several States of the United States."

At the same time, Deleon Guerrero said the ruling should not diminish the importance of enforcing immigration laws.

"To be sure, we must be wary of bad actors that intend to abuse that provision, whether through birth tourism or immigration loopholes. As U.S. citizens, our rights come with a responsibility to protect our borders and uphold national security."

Deleon Guerrero said the decision has particular significance for the Commonwealth.

"In this case, it means that our people can continue standing proud as citizens of the United States. It means that every child born in the CNMI, every family that has built a life here, and every person who proudly calls these islands home can look to the future knowing that the promise of American citizenship endures across generations."

He added that, as the CNMI marks the 80th Liberation Day, the 50th anniversary of the Covenant, and the United States' 250th anniversary, residents should "never forget what our founders fought for: the right to be Americans," pledging to defend that right if elected to Congress.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump's executive order seeking to limit birthright citizenship violates the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, reaffirming that children born on U.S. soil and subject to U.S. law are U.S. citizens at birth. The decision did not directly address citizenship in U.S. territories, but advocates said its reasoning could have implications for future litigation involving the territories.

Several CNMI residents and foreign workers advocates also welcomed the ruling.

John Oliver Gonzales, the son of Filipino contract workers and a former communications and policy adviser to the late governor Arnold I. Palacios, said the decision preserved the constitutional guarantee of citizenship while emphasizing that immigration laws should continue to be strictly enforced.

"The SCOTUS' latest decision to uphold birthright citizenship genuinely preserves the enduring spirit and dignity of well-meaning immigrants as envisaged by the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment to guarantee citizenship at birth. Again, such can and should only be achieved through relentless and uncompromising immigration reform policy and enforcement in order to swiftly restore U.S. national security."

Gonzales added that, in the CNMI's case, the Covenant obligates the federal government to balance economic development with national security within the Commonwealth's unique circumstances.

Former lawmaker Edwin K. Propst also praised the decision.

"Today's Supreme Court decision is a victory for the Constitution and the rule of law. By upholding birthright citizenship, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the clear promise of the Fourteenth Amendment and provided certainty for millions of our fellow Americans."

Carlito Marquez, Filipino community leader on Saipan, likewise voiced support for the ruling, saying the Constitution and federal law clearly establish birthright citizenship.

"The Chief Justice made the right decision because under Title 8 of the U.S. Code, Section 1401, a person born in the United States is a U.S. citizen. ... I don't think that can be overridden by just an executive order."

Irene Holl, another foreign worker advocate, also welcomed the ruling, saying it reaffirms the constitutional rights of children born in the CNMI.

"Because the Constitution says that children born in the United States are U.S. citizens. This means that the children of our fellow Filipinos and other foreign nationals who are born here in the CNMI, a U.S. territory, automatically become U.S. citizens. As such, they are entitled to the same rights and privileges," Hol said.

She added that children born in the CNMI should not be treated differently because of their parents' citizenship status.

"They should not have fewer rights simply because their parents are not U.S. citizens. This is America. The fact that this law has existed for more than 100 years, and has now been reaffirmed once again, shows that America remains a land of equality and opportunity for everyone, regardless of race or background," she said.

Holl also said an executive order cannot override the Constitution. "An executive order also cannot amend such an important law. And I'm saying that even though I'm a Republican," she added.

Kelvin Rodeo, who was born on Saipan to Filipino parents now living in California, said the ruling affirmed the rights of thousands of U.S. citizens born in the CNMI to foreign worker families.

"I'm grateful that the Supreme Court did the right thing and upheld birthright citizenship. We were born on U.S. soil, raised under the American flag, and many of us even fought for our country, but people think that we're just anchor babies and we shouldn't be U.S. citizens just because our parents had the audacity to be born in a different country," said the author of “Shadows in Paradise: The Dark History of the CNMI Guest Worker Program.”

The book examines the rise and growth of the CNMI guest worker system, which brought tens of thousands of foreign workers to the islands to support the garment industry, tourism sector, and broader economy.