Those born in the United States are now automatically granted citizenship. It’s known as birthright citizenship, a right granted under the 14th amendment, and is a common way for Asians to gain citizenship in this country.
President Trump is now threatening to sign an executive order to do away with this right for children of non-citizens, reports The Hill. If he follows through, it would set up a constitutional battle as many say such a change is not possible without a constitutional amendment.
Trump, who recently declared himself a nationalist, a term often associated with White supremacists, made his announcement on the HBO show Axios which is scheduled to air on November 4.
“You can definitely do it with an act of Congress. But now they’re saying I can do it just with an executive order,” the president added. “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.”
The president used erroneously information to justify his intentions. He said the United States is the only country in the world that allows birthright citizenship. In fact, Canada also allows birthright citizenship.
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Asian Americans Advancing Justice immediately denounced the President.
“Birthright citizenship has been in our constitution since 1868, and it’s all thanks for Chinese American Wong Kim Ark. Any threats to the Fourteenth Amendment violate our constitution,”AAJC said.
CNN reports that the White House has not released any details of the President’s announced intentions. According to the cable network, some of Trump’s past promises to sign executive orders have gone unfulfilled.
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