Friday night at SoFi Stadium, Folarin Balogun scored twice in a 4-1 win over Paraguay and became the first American man to score two goals in a single World Cup match since 1930. He was born in Brooklyn. He was raised in London. In 2023 he chose to play his international career for the United States, and three years later he opened a home World Cup as the story of the night.
The reason he had that choice comes down to a few words in the Constitution.
What birthright citizenship actually is
The 14th Amendment says that anyone “born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,” is a citizen. Born here, you are American. The Supreme Court confirmed in 1898, in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, that this applies to children born on U.S. soil to immigrant parents. The principle is called jus soli, the right of the soil, and roughly thirty countries use some form of it, including Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.
For Balogun, that meant his citizenship was never in question. He did not apply for it. He did not petition for it. He was born in New York, so it was his from the first day.
Why his story makes the point
Balogun grew up in England and came through English youth teams. He could have played for the country that raised him. Citizenship by birth gave him a second option most players never have: represent the country of his birth. He chose the United States, and on Friday that choice paid off in front of a home crowd.
That is what citizenship by birth does. It turns belonging into a settled fact rather than an open question. Balogun never had to argue his case to be American. He simply was one.
Why this is in the news right now
His timing is striking, because birthright citizenship is being argued before the Supreme Court as the tournament plays out.
In January 2025, the administration issued Executive Order 14160, which seeks to deny birthright citizenship to children whose parents are in the country without legal status or only temporarily, such as on student, work, or tourist visas. In June 2025, the Supreme Court limited the power of federal judges to block the order nationwide, but it did not rule on whether the order is constitutional. On April 1, 2026, the Court heard arguments on that core question in Trump v. Barbara. A decision is expected by late June or early July.
The fight turns on the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” The government argues citizenship should follow a parent’s lawful domicile, not the place of birth. Challengers argue the plain text and Wong Kim Ark settle the matter. Every court to rule on the order so far has ruled against it, and at argument several justices were skeptical of the government’s reading. Nothing is final until the Court issues its decision.
The benefits, in plain terms
Strip away the politics and the value of birthright citizenship is practical. A child born with it holds permanent status from day one. No petition. No renewal. No employer to depend on. The right to live and work anywhere in the country, a U.S. passport, the vote, the ability to sponsor family later, and protection from removal. Balogun’s American passport was not a reward for his talent. It came first, and it gave his talent somewhere to go.
For everyone not born here
Most people do not get the automatic version. If you were born outside the United States, status is something you build, with evidence, on a record you assemble. That is the path most of our clients take, and it is no less legitimate. The EB-1A and EB-2 NIW categories let accomplished professionals petition for a green card on their own merits, without an employer holding the pen. Different road, same destination: the right to build a life here and contribute on your own terms.
If you want to know where your record stands, book a consultation. We will tell you honestly.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Birthright citizenship is the subject of active litigation, and the law may change once the Supreme Court rules.
