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Supreme Court Won’t Hear Case on Cruz’s Citizenship

Lawsuit questioned whether Texas senator is a 'natural born citizen'

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's Canadian birth was made a campaign issue by presidential primary rival Donald Trump. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's Canadian birth was made a campaign issue by presidential primary rival Donald Trump. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

The Supreme Court declined Tuesday to hear a lawsuit arguing that Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is ineligible to be president because his Canadian birth means he is not a “natural born citizen.”  

The justices upheld a lower court ruling from March that found Walter Wagner, a retired attorney in Utah, did not have standing to file a lawsuit over the issue. Wagner was one of several individuals nationwide who sued to challenge Cruz’s eligibility to run for president.  

In the March ruling, U.S. District Judge Jill Parrish noted that other challenges were similarly dismissed. Parrish never ruled on the underlying question of whether Cruz was eligible to be president.  

Wagner argued that Cruz is not a “natural born citizen” within the meaning of Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution.  

[

Pelosi Coy on Cruz Birther Issue

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Presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump made an issue of Cruz’s eligibility during the primary campaign. Cruz suspended his campaign May 3.  

The case is Wagner v. Cruz, Docket No. 15-1243.

Contact Ruger at 


toddruger@cqrollcall.com


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@ToddRuger

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