What is US Birthright Citizenship? All You Need to Know As Donald Trump Reaffirms Hardline Immigration Stance, Vows to Curtail Citizenship by Birth
In an interview aired on NBC’s Meet the Press, US President-elect Donald Trump reiterated his intention to deport undocumented immigrants and end birthright citizenship. When asked if he planned to deport all undocumented immigrants within his term, Trump responded, “You have to do it.”
New York, December 8: In an interview aired on NBC’s Meet the Press, US President-elect Donald Trump reiterated his intention to deport undocumented immigrants and end birthright citizenship. When asked if he planned to deport all undocumented immigrants within his term, Trump responded, “You have to do it.” He also pledged to end birthright citizenship “if we can, through executive action,” calling the constitutional provision “ridiculous.”
This reaffirmation aligns with Trump’s campaign promises of adopting strict immigration policies, sparking renewed debates about constitutional rights and immigration reform. Trump’s statement has raised concerns among immigration advocates, constitutional scholars, and the millions of immigrants currently residing in the United States. ‘Legal Immigration System Is Broken in US’: Vivek Ramaswamy Supports Donald Trump’s Mass Deportation Plans, Says ‘They Have No Right To Stay in America’.
What Is Birthright Citizenship?
Birthright citizenship is a legal principle that grants citizenship to any individual born on a country’s soil, regardless of their parents’ legal status. The United States is among 34 countries that recognise this practice. Children Born To Indian Couples Won't Get Automatic US Citizenship? Concerns Arise as Donald Trump Might End Citizenship by Birth Rule.
This right is enshrined in the Fourteenth Amendment of the US Constitution, ratified in 1868. The Amendment states: “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.”
The law was initially enacted to grant citizenship to freed slaves after the Civil War. Its scope was upheld in the landmark 1898 Supreme Court case Wong Kim Ark v. United States. In that case, Wong, the child of Chinese immigrants, successfully argued that his birth in the US conferred citizenship, despite his parents’ immigration status.
Trump’s proposal to end birthright citizenship would require a constitutional amendment or a re-interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment by the Supreme Court, sparking significant legal and political challenges.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 08, 2024 09:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).