PORTLAND, Oregon — As the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday over the future of birthright citizenship, Portlanders gathered at Augustana Lutheran Church to rally in support of immigrants in Oregon.

The event, organized by Cameron Whitten, founder of Brown Hope, drew attendees who celebrated immigrant communities while advocates watched developments from Washington, D.C.

"I feel like in times like this, like joy is so important to remind us of what we're fighting for," said Je Amaechi, an attendee whose parents immigrated from Jamaica shortly before she was born.

Amaechi said her personal story reflects a common one for children of immigrants. "My story is like a very common story," she said. "There's so many people who are the child of immigrants and their parents came here to make a better life for themselves."

Children like her, born after President Trump signed his executive order seeking to end automatic birthright citizenship, could lose what Amaechi called the privilege of American citizenship under the administration's proposal.

"Today it's birthright citizenship. Tomorrow it's something else. Yesterday it was something else," Amaechi said. "And it just feels like we're having all of these issues compounded onto us."

At the Supreme Court Wednesday, a Trump administration attorney argued the 14th Amendment was intended to apply to children of freed slaves, not immigrants in the country illegally, according to the Associated Press. A majority of the Supreme Court justices appeared skeptical of the administration's argument, the Associated Press reported.

Whitten said he does not believe the court will side with the administration and expressed frustration with the case. "I don't think the Supreme Court is going to do something so dumb or reckless, and so it is unfortunate we're wasting time and resources on this case," he said.

Whitten added that he remains hopeful the court will uphold birthright citizenship. "I have hope that the right decision will happen and will demonstrate that birthright citizenship is important, and we should continue to be the inclusive nation that we strive to be," he said.

A ruling is expected by the end of the court's term this summer, according to the AP.

As advocates await the decision, organizers at Wednesday's rally said they are looking ahead to May Day, calling for a boycott that includes no work, no school and no spending, to demonstrate the importance of immigrants to the economy and broader community.

A pastor at the rally urged continued commitment to the cause. "We're recommitting ourselves," the pastor said. "So there's no time to rest, no time to be weary. We have to all come together, love each other, but then let's look for the vision of who we are supposed to be."

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