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VOA: President Trump's Efforts to Remove Birthright Citizenship

Politiko 2025-01-29 15:10:22

President Donald Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship in the United States has sparked a legal and political debate about the powers of the executive branch and the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born on American soil. The rule has been crucial to civil rights since its ratification in 1868.

The United States Constitution, drafted in the late 18th century, left most decision-making on immigration and citizenship issues to Congress.

But President Donald Trump has signed an executive order ending the automatic right to citizenship for those born in the United States.

"We are the only country in the world that offers this right at birth. This is absolutely ridiculous. We think we have very good foundations and some people have wanted to do this for decades," he said.

Critics of President Trump's executive order say the 14th Amendment is a cornerstone of civil rights and cannot be changed by a President of the United States.

"Initially, the amendment was intended to grant African-American slaves citizenship, and then this right was cemented by a Supreme Court decision. Constitutional amendments and constitutional rights cannot be removed by a president. They can only be removed by Congress, and therefore the executive order is illegal," says Tuyet Duong of the National Forum of Asian Pacific American Women.

However, supporters of the executive order argue that it is necessary to restore fairness to the immigration system.

"President Trump has made it clear that restoring fairness to our immigration system and protecting the true intent of the 14th Amendment are essential to his vision of making America great again. His historic executive order to end birthright citizenship is a critical step forward," said Texas Republican Representative Brian Babin.

The executive order faces significant legal challenges, including multiple lawsuits to block it. Democratic attorneys general from 22 states have filed a lawsuit arguing that the order violates the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“The Supreme Court reaffirmed it in a case involving a large group of Chinese immigrants, affirming that the 14th Amendment also applied to these people and they were then able to obtain citizenship,” says Tuyet Duong of the National Forum of Asian Pacific American Women.

A federal judge in Seattle has temporarily blocked President Trump's birthright citizenship order. If the case reaches the Supreme Court, its ruling could set the legal groundwork for citizenship in the country. If the order is allowed to take effect, newborns and those who have not received birth certificates and Social Security numbers would be immediately affected by its implementation./VOA