Khaberni - U.S. President Donald Trump made a historic visit to the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to attend arguments concerning the legality of a policy he deems crucial to his stringent approach to immigration, enacted by a directive he signed on his first day in office for a second term, which could restrict granting birthright citizenship.
The Republican president sat in the front row of the public section in the grand courtroom but left shortly after the attorney representing his administration finished their argument and the challenger's attorney began theirs.
Trump departed quietly accompanied by members of the Secret Service.
Trump arrived in a motorcade from the White House before the start of the arguments, wearing a red tie and a dark suit. Trump and the others stood when the Chief Justice announced the start of the session. Trump stayed in the court, accompanied by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, for slightly over an hour and a half.
Chief Justice John Roberts did not mention Trump’s presence before announcing the start of the arguments in the case known as Trump vs. Barbara.
Outside the Supreme Court building, sporting new classical architecture on Capitol Hill, demonstrators gathered before the start of the arguments, some of whom held anti-Trump signs, including signs stating "Trump must go now."
Historian Claire Cushman said that Trump is the first sitting U.S. president to attend an oral argument session at the Supreme Court.
The Trump administration claims that granting citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil could create new incentives for illegal immigration and lead to an influx of "birth tourism," where foreigners travel to the United States to give birth to their children and secure citizenship for them.
