USCCB, in Supreme Court briefs, argues against Trump administration on turnback policy, birthright citizenship

February 27, 2026

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) offered strong criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration policies in a pair of Supreme Court briefs.

In the USCCB’s amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief in Noem v. Al Otro Lado, attorneys stated that “the turnback policy at issue in this case was an attempt by the government to shirk its legal duty to inspect and process vulnerable asylum seekers at the Nation’s borders.”

“The policy violates the obligation to care for refugees—a fundamental legal and moral principle that runs through nearly two millennia of Catholic faith, an international humanitarian consensus, and this Nation’s history,” the brief continued. “Starting with faith, the Judeo-Christian tradition is a story of refugees, a people persecuted for their beliefs seeking a place of safety and tolerance. So it is unsurprising that care for refugees has been a cornerstone of the Church’s teachings since its founding:”

The attorneys added:

Catholics believe refugees reflect the image of Christ and deserve the utmost charity. Even a sovereign state’s power over its borders cannot abridge this fundamental duty of care—which, at the very minimum, requires that nations not put asylum seekers at even more risk of harm when they arrive at the border asking for relief. What faith teaches, law commands, at least in this instance.

The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) joined the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in the amicus curiae brief in Trump v. Barbara. In the brief, attorneys argued that President Donald Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship is immoral and unconstitutional.

“Birthright citizenship aligns with the Church’s teaching that humans were created as social beings and that political authority is morally bound to affirm and protect the inherent dignity of every human person in the community,” the attorneys stated. “In turn, birthright citizenship reflects the Catholic principle of subsidiarity by recognizing persons as members of the community from birth, thereby enabling their participation in civic life and ensuring that state power serves the human person as a social being.”

“Western tradition, the Constitution, and the teachings of the Catholic Church support birthright citizenship because it recognizes the equal dignity of every human person,” the attorneys added.

As is customary, the general counsel of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops signed the brief in Noem v. Al Otro Lado. In a departure from custom, the general counsel did not sign the brief in Trump v. Barbara; instead, the brief was prepared by three attorneys from the multinational law firm WilmerHale.

 

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Further information:

• Brief in Noem v. Al Otro Lado (USCCB)
• Brief in Trump v. Barbara (Courthouse News)