'She made a mistake': JD Vance blasts Justice Amy Coney Barrett over birthright citizenship ruling

WASHINGTON, DC: Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday, July 1, criticized Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett over the court's decision reaffirming birthright citizenship, saying he believes the Trump appointee "made a mistake" by joining the majority.

The remarks came a day after Vance sharply criticized the ruling, which held that children born in the United States are constitutionally entitled to citizenship regardless of their parents' immigration status.

Although the court ruled 6-3, Vance repeatedly referred to the outcome as a 5-4 decision while arguing that the administration would continue efforts to overturn the policy.

JD Vance attacks Amy Barrett over citizenship ruling

Responding to questions about Barrett's vote, Vance said he believed the justice had reached the wrong conclusion.

"Do I think she made a mistake in the ruling? I do," Vance said. He argued the decision extends citizenship beyond what the framers of the Constitution intended, citing the example of foreign nationals entering the country shortly before giving birth.

"I don't know how anybody can say that if a person who is an illegal alien... who's pregnant and comes to the United States on a vacation, they have a baby, and all of a sudden, their entire family gets the benefits of American citizenship," Vance added.

"I don't think that's what the framers of the 14th Amendment had in mind."

The vice president acknowledged that he disagreed with the court's reasoning while emphasizing that judicial decisions can be challenged through future legal and legislative efforts.

"Sometimes the Supreme Court makes mistakes. We're gonna try to correct that mistake, but nobody's perfect, including the Supreme Court."

Barrett, who was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Donald Trump in 2020, joined the court's majority in the decision.

JD Vance doubles down on birthright citizenship

Vance had already criticized the ruling on Tuesday, June 30, describing it as a "major mistake" that could encourage what he called "birth tourism."

"One of the things it might invite... is people to come here quite literally on a vacation, give birth, and then all of a sudden the child and their family have the full benefits of American citizenship," Vance said. "It's just a preposterous ruling, and the absurdity of that outcome suggests why the Supreme Court should have gone the other way."

Vance also argued that the administration would continue pursuing legislative, administrative, and future legal avenues to restrict birthright citizenship, saying officials were exploring additional policy options.

The Supreme Court's majority held that children born in the United States to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily present are citizens at birth under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.

Three conservative justices, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Samuel Alito, dissented. In his dissent, Alito described the decision as a "serious mistake" that "confers citizenship on virtually anyone who happens to be born in this country," including people who travel to the United States specifically to give birth.