Trump v. Barbara · ¶236

The Executive Branch understood the Citizenship Clause to exclude the children of temporary visitors. In 1873, President Grant’s Attorney General George Williams interpreted it to apply only to persons over whom the United States had complete jurisdiction: “[T]he word ‘jurisdiction’ must be understood to mean absolute or complete jurisdiction, such as the United States had over its citizens before the adoption of this amendment.” 14 Op. Atty. Gen. 295, 300. It therefore excluded “[a]liens” over whom the United States had “only” a “limited” jurisdiction, even if they were “born here.” Ibid.

slip opinion, revised 7/01/26
Source edition
Passage preview. Read in context for the complete text, notes and references.