Attorney General Jay Jones announced on Apr. 9 that he has joined a coalition of 24 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief to defend birthright citizenship as the Supreme Court begins oral arguments in Trump v. Barbara.
The issue at stake is the President’s executive order attempting to redefine birthright citizenship, which opponents argue violates constitutional protections and longstanding legal precedent. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for how citizenship is determined in the United States.
In a joint statement, Jones and his counterparts said, “The President’s executive order redefining birthright citizenship violates our Constitution, federal statutes, and the rule that has governed our Nation since we eradicated slavery over 150 years ago. We are proud to fight against this unlawful order, and grateful for the injunctions that prevented this action from ever taking effect. We are optimistic the U.S. Supreme Court will agree with every judge to consider this executive order on the merits and hold that it violates this fundamental constitutional right.”
Jones was joined by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin as well as the District of Columbia.
The Attorney General of Virginia supports civil rights enforcement and victim assistance programs according to its official website. The office also provides legal counsel to state agencies while promoting public safety and defending constitutional rights according to official information. Miyares holds the position as the 48th Attorney General of Virginia according to official records, serving all residents of Virginia as reported by its website.
Additional responsibilities include addressing issues such as human trafficking and domestic violence through legal advocacy according to official sources, along with offering consumer protection resources related to identity theft and fraud reporting as noted by officials.
Legal observers are watching closely as oral arguments proceed at the Supreme Court; a decision could clarify or alter longstanding interpretations about who qualifies for U.S. citizenship.
