LOUISIANA ORGANIZATION FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS (LORI)
|
8220 Goodwood Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70806 | 225-279-9610 | www.mylori.org
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: July 1, 2026
Media Contact: Sharon Njie, snjie@mylori.org | 225-279-9610
|
|
|
|
LORI Statement on the Supreme Court’s Birthright Citizenship Decision
|
The Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants (LORI) welcomes the Supreme Court’s June 30 decision affirming that children born in the United States are citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. This ruling preserves a constitutional promise that has safeguarded generations of Americans for more than 125 years and reaffirms that the Constitution protects every child born on American soil.
For refugee, immigrant, and mixed-status families across Louisiana and the nation, this decision brings certainty at a time when too many families have lived with fear and uncertainty. Every child deserves to begin life with the full protection of the Constitution not burdened by questions about whether they belong in the only country they have ever known.
As Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, “Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights to freely participate in our political community. The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to ‘every free-born person in this land.’ We keep that promise today.”
|
Dauda Sesay, Founder and Executive Director of LORI, said:
|
|
|
|
“Yesteday’s decision reaffirms that every child born in this country deserves equal dignity, equal protection, and an equal opportunity to contribute to the future of our nation. Birthright citizenship is more than a legal principle it is a promise that our democracy does not judge a child by the circumstances of their parents, but recognizes their inherent worth and their place in the American story. We celebrate this decision because it protects families, strengthens our communities, and preserves one of the enduring promises of our Constitution.
|
Aisha Koroma, Deputy Executive Director of LORI, said:
|
Every parent hopes to give their child a future defined by opportunity, security, and the freedom to dream. Yesteday’s decision reinforces a principle that has shaped our nation for generations and offers reassurance to countless families across the country. At LORI, we remain committed to ensuring that every family has access to the resources, support, and sense of community they need to build a future where they can truly thrive.
|
Sharon Njie, Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships at LORI, added:
|
For the refugee and immigrant families we serve across Louisiana, yesteday’s ruling is not a headline it is the difference between a parent bracing for the question of whether their child belongs here and a parent who no longer has to. Birthright citizenship and belonging are one promise, not two. I am grateful for this affirmation and clear-eyed about the work it leaves us: making certain every family in our state knows this right is theirs, and can live inside it without fear.
|
LORI remains committed to standing alongside refugee and immigrant families, expanding access to legal services, promoting civic participation, and building welcoming communities where every person has the opportunity to belong, contribute, and thrive.
The decision was issued in Trump v. Barbara, No. 25-365 (U.S. June 30, 2026). The full opinion is available at supremecourt.gov.
|
About LORI
Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants (LORI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping refugees and immigrants achieve self-sufficiency by providing them access to critical services and support. At LORI, we promote diversity and inclusion, fight for humane immigration policies, and expand capacities around immigration legal services, policy advocacy, educational access, and civic engagement & Organizing.
|
|
|
|
Contact Us
(225) 279-9610 | info@mylori.org
Louisiana Organization for Refugees & Immigrants
1120 Government St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
United States
|
|
|
|
|
