The nation's highest court has decided to hear case questioning automatic citizenship for those born in the US.

The nation's highest court has will hear a pivotal case that questions a longstanding principle: automatic citizenship for people born within US borders.

On his first day in office this winter, the President enacted a directive aiming to end the policy, but the move was halted by the judiciary after constitutional questions were filed.

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

Next, the court will calendar a session to hear oral arguments between the administration and claimants, which involve foreign-born parents and their newborns.

A Constitutional Cornerstone

For nearly 160 years, the 14th Amendment has established the principle that all individuals born in the country is a American citizen, with certain exclusions for children born to foreign diplomats and personnel of foreign military forces.

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

The contested executive order sought to refuse citizenship to the children of people who are either in the US illegally or are in the country on short-term status.

The United States belongs to a group of about 30 countries – primarily in the Americas – that provide automatic citizenship to anyone born within their borders.