Hindu Group Joins Faith Coalition to Defend US Birthright Citizenship

On February 26, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) joined 57 faith-based organisations to file an amicus brief in Trump v. Barbara, a case currently under review by the US Supreme Court, according to a media release issued Friday.

The filing comes after immigrant families expressed concern following an executive order issued by the Trump Administration in January 2025 seeking to limit birthright citizenship.

The foundation said the Constitution provides clear protections for children born in the United States.

"Immigrant parents have felt unsettled since January 2025, when the Trump Administration issued an Executive Order trying to limit birthright citizenship," the organisation said, adding that "the Constitution is clear - children born within the United States are born citizens."

The group argued that the issue is not only constitutional but also rooted in moral and religious values that emphasise welcoming others.

"Not only is birthright citizenship a Constitutional right, it is also a moral imperative for Hindus to welcome others and recognize the world as our family," the foundation said in its statement.

It cited teachings from Hindu scriptures to underline its argument.

"The small-minded think that one person is a relative, another is a stranger. The whole world is one family - this is how the magnanimous live," the Maha Upanishad states.

The Taittiriya Upanishad similarly teaches: "treat your guest as Divine."

The foundation said Hindus are joining many other faith communities that believe immigrants and their families should be welcomed and protected.

"Hindus join many other faith communities who feel the same responsibility towards immigrants to this nation, ensuring their children are born with the safety of citizenship," the statement said.

The organisation also argued that birthright citizenship plays a critical role in preserving religious diversity in the United States.

Hindus are among the country's most recent immigrant communities, with more than three-quarters of Hindu Americans born outside the United States.

"Birthright citizenship is key to ensuring religious diversity in this country," the foundation said, noting that without the guarantee of citizenship for their children, immigrant families may face greater uncertainty in building their lives in America.

Needhy Shah, senior legal director at the Hindu American Foundation, said the issue has direct consequences for immigrant communities trying to establish themselves in a new country.

"I have seen countless families in our community take the difficult path of setting up their life in a new country, navigating the challenges of raising children in a place that they are still trying to understand, and fighting to continue their religious traditions," Shah said.

"Birthright citizenship is essential to make these families feel safe coming here and staying here," she added.

The case now before the Supreme Court comes amid broader debates over immigration policy and the interpretation of the Constitution's citizenship clause.

The issue centers on the 14th Amendment, adopted after the Civil War, which states that all persons born or naturalised in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction are citizens of the country.

- IANS