Former President Donald Trump has promised to end birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants in the United States.
In a campaign video posted on Twitter, Trump announced his plan, saying he would issue an executive order instructing federal agencies to stop granting automatic citizenship to such children. This proposal contradicts the interpretation of the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalised in the United States, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
Birthright citizenship has long been a principle in the United States, dating back to the Civil War and the abolition of slavery. Trump, on the other hand, seeks to reinterpret this interpretation by requiring at least one parent to be an American citizen or lawful permanent resident in order for their children to become automatic US citizens.
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Trump also stated his intention to limit birthright citizenship through executive order during his presidency, but he never followed through. Legal experts have questioned the legality of such an action, citing the likelihood of significant legal challenges to any attempt to change birthright citizenship.
In addition to targeting birthright citizenship, Trump chastised President Joe Biden for the record number of migrants apprehended illegally crossing the US border. He claimed that birthright citizenship acts as a “magnet” for illegal immigration, citing other countries that limit this right to non-citizens. Trump’s immigration stance has consistently appealed to the Republican Party’s right flank, and he pursued hardline policies during his tenure, including efforts to build a wall along the US-Mexico border.
Trump’s pledge to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants is seen as part of a broader crackdown on unauthorised immigration and asylum seekers. If he wins the presidential election in 2024 and follows through on his plan, it is expected that legal challenges would be mounted against his executive order.
Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2024, has made immigration a focal point of his campaign. DeSantis recently passed strict state immigration laws in Florida, establishing himself as an anti-immigrant candidate. He and Trump have clashed over their immigration platforms, with DeSantis accusing Trump of supporting “amnesty” for undocumented immigrants.
