Is Birthright Citizenship an American Exception — or a Constitutional Mistake?

Birthright citizenship is headed to the Supreme Court — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Michael Smerconish sits down with Washington Post columnist and National Review editor Ramesh Ponnuru to unpack one of the most consequential constitutional debates of our time. As the Court prepares to hear a challenge to birthright citizenship, they explore what the Constitution actually says, how the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” should be interpreted, and whether the U.S. is truly an outlier compared to the rest of the world. From immigration enforcement and executive authority to American exceptionalism and global norms, this conversation breaks down the legal arguments, policy tradeoffs, and political realities surrounding a case that could reshape who gets to be an American. A must-listen ahead of what could be a landmark Supreme Court decision.