U.S. Birthright Citizenship Established By 1898 San Francisco Case Involving Chinatown Resident

CBS Bay Area

January 22, 2025

On Monday, President Trump signed an executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship, and Tuesday, 18 states including California filed a federal lawsuit to stop the order. Universal birthright citizenship has long been considered a constitutional right that got its start in San Francisco, thanks to a gutsy young man in Chinatown.

President Trump signed the order that would deny citizenship to people born here if they didn't have at least one parent who was a citizen or permanent resident.

"I have one message for President Trump. I'll see you in court," said California Attorney General Rob Bonta Tuesday, who is also a child of a single immigrant mother. At a Tuesday news conference, he announced that California had joined 17 other states in immediately challenging President Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship.

Click here for the full story via CBS San Francisco

CBS Local Digital Media personalizes the global reach of CBS-owned and operated television and radio stations with a local perspective.