Bruce Springsteen and the ACLU are bringing awareness to Trump v. Barbara, otherwise known as the birthright citizenship case, ahead of oral arguments before the Supreme Court
Bruce Springsteen has teamed up with the ACLU for a birthright citizenship video set to Born in the U.S.A.(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez, Getty Images for 20th Century Studios)
Bruce Springsteen has teamed up with the ACLU for a video that brings awareness to the upcoming landmark birthright citizenship case.
The American Civil Liberties Union has created a 30-second video that pairs the 76-year-old rock star‘s 1984 hit Born in the U.S.A. with images of Americans of all backgrounds who could be affected by the U.S. Supreme Court‘s decision in Trump v. Barbara.
The video comes before the Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in Trump v. Barbara, otherwise known as the birthright citizenship case, on April 1. The case stems from a January 2025 Trump Executive Order that seeks to amend the Constitution’s 14th Amendment to prevent the U.S. government from granting automatic citizenship to anyone born in the country.
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District courts across the U.S. had blocked Trump v. Barbara, but the Supreme Court will ultimately decide the case. Meanwhile, the ACLU has been a part of the legal pushback to Trump’s Executive Order. Now, the union is releasing the video on Morning Joe.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Anthony D. Romero, the executive director of the ACLU, opened up about how they got Springsteen to be a part of the cause, why it is so important, and why they chose to use Born in the U.S.A.
Anthony D. Romero has opened up about the ASLU’s collaboration with Bruce Springsteen
Over the years, Romero had been in touch with Jon Landau, Springsteen’s manager, producer, and closest creative confidant, and had watched Springsteen closely as he continued to call out major issues in the U.S.
Romero first got the idea for the video during an interview with Katie Couric two days after President Donald Trump’s inauguration. He was answering a question from Couric about one of Trump’s executive orders on day one, in which he tried to end birthright citizenship — “as if a president could rewrite the 14th Amendment on his own,” he said.
The director said, “Birthright citizenship is a sacred ground for those of us in the civil rights community. It’s how our nation addressed America’s original sin of chattel slavery, making citizens of the children of enslaved people. It’s also how a nation of immigrants ensured we would all be equal — out of many one.”
Bruce Springsteen has teamed up with the ACLU for a video that brings awareness to the upcoming landmark birthright citizenship case(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
After his interview with Couric, Romero began singing the chorus of “Born in the U.S.A.” “When I got back to my office after that interview, I began the process of bringing this idea to life… We wanted to be patriotic. We wanted to reach folks who normally don’t hear from or pay attention to the ACLU,” he said.
Romero and the ACLU developed several concepts, which were shared with Richard Lovett at CAA. Lovett quickly saw their vision and was incredibly supportive, contacting Landau, who got Sony Music and Sony Music Publishing on board.
Romero added that Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. is the “perfect song to capture what’s at stake in this Supreme Court case and how birthright citizenship is integral to America.” He added, “The song calls on our nation to live up to its ideals. And when you listen to it, it makes you feel proud to be an American.
“The brassy refrain of Born in the U.S.A. makes you want to stand up straight and feel good about the country you live in, the communities you’re part of, and pay honor to the values that truly make America great.
“Decades later, the song still reflects the struggle to hold onto the things that make us proud to be Americans today. Even if you put the lyrics aside, the song basically makes you feel good. It makes you feel proud.
“It makes you feel bold. And that’s what our ad campaign captures. Birthright citizenship is what makes America great, and we ought to be proud to defend it. It’s a reminder that we all have a role to play in fighting for a nation that follows our democratic principles.”