Issued June 30, 2026

WASHINGTON - Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Secretary-Treasurer Rocío Sáenz issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold birthright citizenship in the case of Trump v. Barbara. The SEIU filed an amicus brief in this case challenging the constitutional right of birthright citizenship for certain babies born on U.S. soil:

“Today's decision offers a moment of relief for many first-generation Americans and immigrant communities. However, we have to have an honest conversation about what this case says about the current state of our country.  President Trump tried to re-write the Constitution to exclude the babies of immigrants. He showed that he doesn’t care about the content of character, just race and economic status.  This case should have never made it this far. None of this is happening by accident. This administration has aggressively tried to purge immigrants and their families from our country, rewrite history by attacking Black, Brown, Asian American and Pacific-Islander, Indigenous and immigrant communities and chip away at the rights of all Americans. This ruling also tells us that there’s still power in solidarity.  Working people win when we join together, share our stories of family and resilience, and demand that our civil and legal rights be respected. SEIU members and our allies refuse to stay silent while this administration attacks our immigrant siblings. We choose to stand with each other.  No one can truly feel safe under this administration that prioritizes creating fear and uncertainty over meeting the basic needs of its people. We will continue to stand in solidarity with our immigrant siblings while we demand permanent protections for people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and a path to citizenship."