As the Supreme Court continues to debate President Donald Trump’s case to end birthright citizenship, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is going viral after clips of her questioning Trump’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment began circling the internet.
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“Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has more balls than most members of the senate, house, and her colleagues on the SCOTUS bench —combined,” @francemothers said on X.
As we previously told you, the high court heard arguments on Wednesday (April 1) for the landmark case. Jackson stood out from several justices, appearing to be skeptical of the president’s argument against the Citizenship Clause in the 14th Amendment. Specifically, the first Black woman Supreme Court Justice grilled Solicitor General D. John Sauer about how enforcing Trump’s January 2025 executive order would actually work.
“How does this work? Are you suggesting when a baby is born people have to present documents,” Jackson asked. “Is this happening in the delivery room? How are we determining when or whether a newborn child is a citizen of the US under your rule?”
The Root reported that the president attempted to axe birthright citizenship on his first day back in the White House and was met with serious backlash from folks who saw the order as an attack against immigrants and an attack on the U.S. Constitution.
Online, folks praised Jackson for getting straight to business. “Had his a** sounding like he just smoked a whole carton of Newport box short cigarettes,” @PatrickJnmarie said.
Pew Research estimated that 320,000 infants were born on American soil to immigrant parents without authorization in 2023. Under Trump’s order, babies of millions of migrants who enter the country– legally or not– wouldn’t automatically be eligible for citizenship. This is a complete turnaround from the way the U.S. has viewed birthright citizenship since 1868.
“This isn’t just a misstep it’s a fundamental misunderstanding of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution,” @Popular_EY said.
Other folks online gave President Joe Biden credit for choosing Jackson for her position on the court. “Shoutout to President Joe Biden. You did good, kid,” @CarolDright said. “God love ya.” @WmAG_V agreed, writing, “Joseph Robinette Biden Jr did his MF job when he got Justice KBJ on the bench!”
Jackson became the first Black woman to serve as Supreme Court justice back in 2022. Since then, she’s positioned herself as a liberal leader unafraid to go against her fellow justices on the bench. “Justice Ketanji is head and shoulders above trumps DEI pics on the Supreme Court,” @ClaudetteGGibs1 tweeted.
But while many Black folks rallied behind Jackson’s Wednesday remarks, she was also met with conservative and MAGA supporters like Fla. Gov. Ron Desantis, who called her bluff.
Still, it seems Jackson is supported by plenty of Black Americans rooting for her. “Ketanji Brown Jackson has more real, hands-on experience in the justice system than any current Supreme Court Justice—including the Chief,” @lab_ftwtx pointed out. “She’s been a public defender, a trial judge, and an appellate judge. She’s actually worked at every level, not just one side of it. Facts.”
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