On April 1, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in Trump v. Barbara, otherwise known as the birthright-citizenship case. It stems from a January 2025 Trump executive order that attempts to redefine the 14th Amendment of the Constitution in a way that no longer grants automatic citizenship to anyone born inside the United States. It was blocked by district courts across America, but the Supreme Court will make the ultimate call.
The American Civl Liberties Union has played a pivotal role in the legal pushback to Trump’s executive order, and they’ve teamed up with Bruce Springsteen to create a 30-second video that pairs his 1984 hit “Born in the U.S.A.” with images of Americans of all backgrounds whose lives will be dramatically impacted by the decision.
The ACLU are rolling out the video on Morning Joe, but you can check out an exclusive sneak preview below. We also spoke with Anthony D. Romero, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, where he explains how they pulled Springsteen into the cause, why this cause is so important, and where the battle goes from here.
What sparked the idea for this video?
I got the idea for this video during an interview with Katie Couric two days after President Trump’s inauguration. I was answering a question from Katie about one of President Trump’s executive orders on day one, in which he had the audacity to try to end birthright citizenship — as if a president could rewrite the 14th Amendment on his own. This was among his first acts as president, and what it represented was breathtaking.
Birthright citizenship is a sacred ground for those of us in the civil rights community. It’s how our nation addressed America’s original sin of chattel slavery, making citizens of the children of enslaved people. It’s also how a nation of immigrants ensured we would all be equal — out of many one.
As this idea came to me during my interview with Katie Couric, I began to sing the chorus of “Born in the U.S.A.” When I got back to my office after that interview, I began the process of bringing this idea to life.
