WASHINGTON — The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has launched a national advertising campaign ahead of its April 1 arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court in a historic case involving the constitutional right to birthright citizenship.
Titled “The Beat,” the campaign features Bruce Springsteen’s iconic song “Born in the U.S.A.” In a rare move, the musician authorized the use of the anthem to highlight what is at stake in the case Trump v. Barbara and to underscore the role of birthright citizenship as a core American value.
“Bruce Springsteen’s song ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ is an American anthem. It captures what birthright citizenship has made possible for generations: the simple, powerful guarantee that if you are born here, you belong here,” said Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU. “As the ACLU prepares to defend this bedrock principle in the nation’s highest court, millions of Americans agree that the 14th Amendment — not the president — determines who is a citizen.”
Produced in partnership with Stink, Creative Artists Agency, and the ACLU, and directed by award-winning filmmaker Anderson Wright, the campaign centers on a nationally distributed video that will air across broadcast and digital platforms. The 30-second television spot is scheduled to debut March 23 and will run during high-profile programs such as MLB Opening Day coverage, Survivor, and the finale of The Voice. A digital billboard will also appear outside Minneapolis’ Target Center on March 30 and 31, coinciding with the launch of Springsteen’s 2026 Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour.
The video opens with the unmistakable drumbeat that gives the campaign its name and portrays everyday moments across the country — in classrooms, workplaces, family gatherings, and civic milestones. The scenes build into a nationwide portrait of people learning, working, and contributing to their communities, concluding with the message: “Protect Birthright Citizenship.”
The case stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on the first day of his second term that sought to deny automatic citizenship to babies born in the United States to parents without permanent legal status. The ACLU quickly challenged the order in court and secured rulings preventing it from taking effect. Multiple courts have found the policy unconstitutional and inconsistent with long-standing Supreme Court precedent.
The Supreme Court will now consider whether a president can unilaterally restrict the Constitution’s guarantee of citizenship to children born on U.S. soil. Oral arguments are set for April 1, when ACLU National Legal Director Cecillia Wang — herself a birthright citizen — is expected to present the organization’s case.
Released in 1984, “Born in the U.S.A.” originally told the story of a Vietnam veteran returning home to economic hardship and a country struggling to live up to its ideals. Decades later, the song resonates in a new constitutional context, drawing renewed attention to the legal and lived meaning of being born in the United States.
