Trump v. Barbara · ¶438

Not only were there no Supreme Court decisions on the constitutional question, there was not much litigation of any kind on the question of United States citizenship. Both Lynch in 1844, 1 Sand. Ch., at 663, and an 1862 opinion by Attorney General Bates, 10 Op. Atty. Gen. 382, 383, expressed surprise at this dearth. And in our time, when the difference between citizenship and alienage is a hot issue, this dearth may seem very strange. But some obvious explanations come readily to mind.

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