C-SPAN has asked the Supreme Court to let its cameras film oral arguments in the birthright citizenship case brought by President Donald Trump.

In a letter to Chief Justice John Roberts dated April 23, the network argues that allowing proceedings to be televised would give Americans a better understanding of a case of “profound national significance.”

Television and still cameras have never been allowed in the courtroom for arguments, but a live audio stream began during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and continued when in-person proceedings returned.

Under Trump’s executive order, birthright citizenship would end for the children of people who are in the U.S. illegally. But the crackdown, part of wider attempts to curb immigration, has been thwarted by three district courts around the country.

The Justice Department has asked the Supreme Court to take up the case. Oral arguments on the issue are set to be heard by justices next week.

Birthright citizenship, the guarantee of citizenship to almost everyone born in the U.S., dates back to the post-Civil War era, and is enshrined in the Constitution’s 14th Amendment.

In the letter, C-SPAN CEO Sam Feist argues: “This case holds profound national significance. Its implications — legal, political, and personal — will affect millions of Americans. In light of this, we believe the public interest is best served through live television coverage of the proceedings.”

Feist goes on to say that televising the arguments would “strengthen our democracy and help allow Americans to see, and not only hear, about issues at the forefront of their government.”

“We stand ready to work with the court to ensure that this broadcast is conducted with the dignity and respect befitting the occasion,” the CEO concludes.