The Supreme Court’s recent Trump v. Barbara decision upholding birthright citizenship is bittersweet. On one hand, it reaffirms a core tenet of our Constitution and reflects our longstanding commitment to being a welcoming and inclusive nation. From Wong Kim Ark, the U.S.-born son of Chinese immigrants whose legal fight affirmed birthright citizenship in this country, to Folarin Balogun, who played for the U.S. in the World Cup, the citizen children of immigrant parents have contributed to our culture, our economy, and our communities for decades.

On the other hand, the Trump v. Barbara decision comes on the heels of three deeply troubling decisions: one allowing asylum seekers to be turned away at the border, a second decision giving the administration significant power to deny entry to green card holders, and a third permitting the revocation of Temporary Protected Status for thousands of Haitian and Syrian refugees. Together, these rulings are a stark reminder that our nation’s ideals, and our identity as a country that welcomes newcomers and protects those fleeing persecution and violence, are under profound threat.

As partners — one a leading civil rights organization and co-counsel on the birthright case, and one a long-time supporting funder — we believe the Trump v. Barbara win offers a roadmap for philanthropy to protect and advance democracy in our nation’s 250th anniversary year and beyond.

Among the top takeaways is that winning court cases is great — but it’s just as important to win the people. Only broad-based support for immigrants and democracy can deliver lasting protection against anti-immigrant politics and authoritarianism.

Winning Called for a Big Tent

The birthright citizenship win is the result of a wide-ranging campaign defending citizenship as a core pillar of U.S. democracy. The litigation before the Supreme Court, led by a legal team that included Asian Law Caucus and other national civil rights groups, was just the tip of the iceberg. A coalition of more than 200 national, regional, and local groups — including grassroots, faith, labor, academia, and more — pursued a variety of strategies that helped turn public opinion against the current administration’s efforts to undermine the Constitution.

Read the full article about the birthright citizenship decision and philanthropy by Aarti Kohli and Elica Vafaie at The Center for Effective Philanthropy.