America's top judicial body agrees to hear case challenging automatic citizenship for those born in the US.

The US Supreme Court has agreed to take on a pivotal case that challenges a historic principle: guaranteed citizenship for people born on American soil.

On day one in office this January, President Donald Trump enacted a directive aiming to halt the policy, but the move was struck down by federal courts after lawsuits were brought forward.

The Supreme Court's final ruling will ultimately affirm citizenship rights for the infants of migrants who are in the US undocumented or on temporary visas, or it will nullify those rights altogether.

Next, the judges will schedule a date to hear oral arguments between the federal government and claimants, which include immigrant parents and their infants.

The Legal Foundation

For over a century and a half, the Fourteenth Amendment has enshrined the rule that anyone born in the country is a citizen, with specific conditions for children born to diplomats and members of occupying armies.

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

The disputed directive sought to refuse citizenship to the offspring of people who are either in the US in violation of immigration law or are in the country on temporary visas.

The United States is among about three dozen nations – primarily in the North and South America – that award instant citizenship to all those born in their territory.