“We’re the only country in the world where a person comes in, has a baby, and the baby is essentially a citizen of the United States for 85 years with all of those benefits. It’s ridiculous. It’s ridiculous. And it has to end.”
This was the answer U.S. President Donald Trump gave in regard to ending the right to U.S citizenship to children born on U.S. soil to parents who are not citizens.
He was speaking to Axios in an interview, whose clips were aired today ahead of the full broadcast on Sunday, where he said he has already consulted with White House’s counsel on the matter.
RELATED STORIES
“It was always told to me that you needed a constitutional amendment. Guess what? You don’t. You can definitely do it with an act of Congress. But now they’re saying I can do it just with an executive order,” Trump said.
According to the U.S. Constitution, children born in the U.S. and its territories to non-citizens or immigrants parents have the right to become citizens. The amendment was made 150 years ago to state that “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
This is Trump’s new anti-immigrant move, which joins a list of many others including ending the DACA program, instituting a travel ban, blocking ‘non-professional’ immigrants from entering the U.S. and restricting legal immigration.
The president did not say when he would sign the order, but many are questioning the timing of the announcement, comes just days before the midterm elections slotted for November 6. But one thing for sure for him is: “It’s in the process. It’ll happen with an executive order.”
Already debate is raging on social media as to whether Trump is able to make such an executive order.
Here are some reactions:
Trump wants a debate about ending birthright citizenship more than actually doing it. Democrats should say, ok see you in court, now back to your plan to get rid of protections for preexisting conditions.
— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) October 30, 2018
If the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of birthright citizenship could be wiped out with the stroke of Trump’s pen, the whole U.S. Constitution could be erased that way. There’s no limit to that dictatorial claim over all our rights. https://t.co/hfFfsDOAJL
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) October 30, 2018
Trump dangling his desire to do away with birthright citizenship in front of us like a toddler with car keys. It’s super concerning in theory but he can’t actually do anything let’s pay attention to what he CAN do.
— ana scary time for young men cox (@anamariecox) October 30, 2018
I do not think it’s sound advice to ignore a president declaring that he will end birthright citizenship. https://t.co/FYMEdT2PFh
— Dad (@fivefifths) October 30, 2018
Can’t ignore it. It’s a trifecta of despotism: 1)Trump thinks that he can undo an explicit constitutional guarantee by Exec. Order; 2)the guarantee is the provision of the 14th amend that ensured citizenship for Black ppl; 3) The intent is to discriminate against Latino ppl. https://t.co/2poyeTslgK
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) October 30, 2018
It’s kind of funny seeing Nigerian Trump supporters have a meltdown over this plan to terminate birthright citizenship because of their own future kids? pic.twitter.com/eLIjK3BNcE
— #EFCCI’mHere (@CheRox) October 30, 2018
I really need y’all to watch this again, and understand how disturbing this clip is. Birthright citizenship is in 14th Amendment—which guaranteed the right of citizenship to all African Americans in 1868. Trump wants to bypass that with an executive order. pic.twitter.com/eiug0L13HP
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) October 30, 2018
Guys. Trump can’t terminate amendments via executive order. To respond as if he’s ending birthright citizenship because he told an outlet he is ending birthright citizenship is to allow him to be our assignment editor. It’s an obvious stunt
— Sam Stein (@samstein) October 30, 2018
If Trump’s proposed gutting of the 14th amendment/ending of birthright citizenship was active 25 years ago, I wouldn’t be a U.S. citizen.
Both my parents came here from Sierra Leone.
Proposals like this might rile up his base, but it hits very close to home for most Americans.
— Ahmed Baba (@AhmedBaba_) October 30, 2018
If Trump can “possibly” sign away the 14th amendment to birthright citizenship, then he can “possibly” sign away the 22nd amendment that limits him to two terms. I’m supposed to have confidence that the SCOTUS would stop this, but Trump’s been enabled by all three gov’t branches.
— Jordan W. Fisher ?️? (@jordanwfisher_) October 30, 2018
I will rhetorically smack the dog shit out of you if you say things like “Trump’s executive order canceling birthright citizenship is a distraction” because regardless of actual structural effect, it is attempted fascist ethnonationalist policy and that cannot be understated.
— zoé samudzi (@ztsamudzi) October 30, 2018
