America's top judicial body has decided to consider legal challenge questioning birthright citizenship.

The nation's highest court has will hear a landmark case that challenges a century-old principle: guaranteed citizenship for those born on American soil.

On day one in office this January, the administration issued an executive order aiming to terminate birthright citizenship, but the order was halted by lower courts after legal challenges were filed.

The Supreme Court's final ruling will either support citizenship rights for the offspring of migrants who are in the US undocumented or on temporary visas, or it will nullify those rights completely.

Next, the court will schedule a date to hear arguments between the government and claimants, which include parents who are immigrants and their young children.

The Legal Foundation

For nearly 160 years, the Constitutional amendment has codified the rule that every person born in the country is a American citizen, with specific conditions for children born to foreign diplomats and personnel of occupying armies.

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."

The contested presidential order sought to refuse citizenship to the offspring of people who are whether in the US in violation of immigration law or are in the country on short-term status.

The United States is one of about three dozen nations – primarily in the Americas – that award instant citizenship to anyone born in their territory.