House Speaker Mike Johnson declared that Congress must now confront the issue of birthright citizenship following the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling that struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ending automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants or temporary visitors.

Johnson expressed deep disappointment with the decision, stating it “subjects the country to serious challenges going forward” and leaves lawmakers with the responsibility to address what he described as the abuse of the 14th Amendment through “birthright tourism.”

He argued that the current system has devalued American citizenship and poses threats to the rule of law and national security.

“I’m sure the conclusion from this opinion is that you’ve got to amend the Constitution to fix that,” Johnson said, while also indicating Republicans are exploring all legislative options. President Trump, who signed the executive order on his first day back in office, quickly called on Congress to pass legislation ending the practice, writing that “No long and unwieldy Constitutional Amendment is necessary!” and pledging his “complete and total support.”

The Supreme Court, in an opinion led by Chief Justice John Roberts, reaffirmed that the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment grants automatic citizenship to nearly all children born on U.S. soil, citing longstanding precedent such as the 1898 case United States v. Wong Kim Ark. The ruling blocked Trump’s attempt to limit citizenship to cases where at least one parent is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.

Johnson’s comments signal a shift in the battle from the executive branch to Capitol Hill, where Republican leaders are now weighing legislative fixes or, more challenging, a constitutional amendment. The debate underscores deep divisions over immigration, citizenship, and the original intent of the 14th Amendment as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary.