Folarin Balogun, a USMNT star, was born in Brooklyn while his Nigerian parents were visiting the U.S. His mother was prevented from boarding a flight back to England due to her pregnancy, and weeks later, Balogun was born in New York. As a result, he holds U.S. citizenship and is now representing Team USA in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Birthright Citizenship Upheld
The U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld birthright citizenship, which grants citizenship to everyone born on U.S. soil, with exceptions for the children of foreign diplomats and those born to a foreign occupying force. Balogun’s story highlights the significance of this ruling, as he is now able to represent the United States in the World Cup.
Long Beach attorney David Boyle, who filed an amicus brief opposing President Trump’s challenge to birthright citizenship, pointed to Balogun’s story after the ruling. Boyle noted that America has been rewarded many times for its generosity to birthright-citizen babies, citing Balogun as a great example of how all kinds of people can contribute to the USA.
Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.
