The U.S. Supreme Court is almost certain to have the final word on birthright citizenship. Federal judges have made clear how much his order conflicts with Supreme Court precedent, to say nothing of the Constitution. The Supreme Court is not bound by what those lower court judges have said or even its own past rulings. Legal scholars say the administration's interpretation is countered by the amendment's history and subsequent Supreme Court rulings. Supreme Court rulingsIn 1898, the Supreme Court, in a landmark decision, found that the son of Chinese immigrants was a U.S. citizen under the 14th Amendment, based on his birth in San Francisco.