America's top judicial body agrees to consider legal challenge questioning automatic citizenship for those born in the US.

The US Supreme Court has will hear a landmark case that questions a historic constitutional right: birthright citizenship for people born within US borders.

On day one in office this winter, the President issued an executive order aiming to terminate the policy, but the move was subsequently blocked by the judiciary after legal challenges were brought forward.

The Supreme Court's final judgment will either affirm citizenship rights for the infants of foreign nationals who are in the US illegally or on temporary visas, or it will overturn the provision completely.

Next, the justices will calendar a session to hear oral arguments between the federal government and claimants, which comprise immigrant parents and their infants.

A Constitutional Cornerstone

For over a century and a half, the Fourteenth Amendment has enshrined the rule that every person born in the United States is a American citizen, with certain exclusions for children born to foreign diplomats and personnel of foreign military forces.

"Every individual born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."

The challenged executive order sought to withhold citizenship to the offspring of people who are whether in the US without legal status or are in the country on short-term status.

The United States is one of about 30 countries – largely in the North and South America – that provide automatic citizenship to any person born on their soil.