Donald Trump, the President of the United States, reiterated his stance that the constitutional right of “birthright citizenship” does not apply to immigrants residing illegally in the U.S.
On the 16th (local time), President Trump stated on social media platform Truth Social that the 14th amendment’s provision of American citizenship is unrelated to those who “sneak into our country” illegally, emphasizing that the 14th amendment was meant solely to grant citizenship to former slaves.
His argument is based on the premise that the 14th amendment, ratified in 1868, five years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, was intended to grant citizenship to freed black slaves, and not illegal immigrants.
President Trump remarked that the founding fathers must be “lamenting in their graves at the thought of losing our country,” adding that no other nation in the world operates in this manner.
Last month, on his inauguration day, January 20th, President Trump signed an executive order restricting existing birthright citizenship. This order states that if a child’s mother is not legally residing in the U.S., and the father is neither a U.S. citizen nor a lawful permanent resident, the child will not automatically be granted citizenship even if born on U.S. soil.
However, this policy has faced multiple lawsuits claiming it is unconstitutional, with some federal courts ruling as such, potentially leading the issue to the Supreme Court. In light of this, President Trump noted, “Our lawyers and judges must be strong and protect America.”