Former President Donald Trump has reiterated his stance on “birthright citizenship,” saying in a recent video that one of his first acts, if re-elected, would be to abolish the policy.
One of the most debated topics in immigration policy is “birthright citizenship,” which refers to granting automatic citizenship to individuals born within a country’s territorial borders, regardless of their parent’s citizenship status.
During his presidential campaign in 2015 and throughout his tenure, Donald Trump expressed his opposition to birthright citizenship. He argued that it incentivized individuals to enter the United States illegally solely to have a child who would be granted American citizenship. Trump claimed that this practice, often called “birth tourism,” was a loophole that undermined the integrity of the U.S. immigration system.
Trump proposed to end birthright citizenship by executive order, stating that he believed it could be done without amending the Constitution. He argued that the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,” did not apply to the children of undocumented immigrants or those with temporary legal status.
Now out on the campaign trail in his attempt to retake the White House in 2024, the former President has reiterated his pledge to eliminate birthright citizenship should he be re-elected.
If elected back to the White House next year, Trump said in a video posted to social media that he will, on day one, sign an executive order to ensure the children of undocumented migrants “will not receive automatic US citizenship.”
Trump also said his order would “choke off a major incentive for continued illegal immigration, deter more migrants from coming and encourage many of the alien’s Joe Biden has unlawfully let into our country to go”.
Supporters of Trump’s position agree that ending birthright citizenship would deter unauthorized immigration by removing the potential incentive of securing citizenship for their children. Trump and his supporters believe that by closing this loophole, the U.S. could strengthen its immigration system and discourage individuals from exploiting it.
Furthermore, some legal scholars and many conservative lawmakers agree with Trump’s interpretation that the 14th Amendment does not grant birthright citizenship to the children of undocumented immigrants. They argue that the amendment’s original intent was to grant citizenship to former slaves and their descendants, not to extend it to unauthorized immigrants.
Trump also highlighted that the United States was among the few developed nations with birthright citizenship. He argued that by ending this practice, the U.S. would align itself with other countries with more restrictive policies, thereby reducing the potential for abuse.
“We’re the only country in the world where a person comes in and has a baby, and the baby is essentially a citizen of the United States … with all of those benefits. It’s ridiculous. It’s ridiculous. And it has to end,” Trump said.