The United States President Donald Trump, has signed an executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship—a right guaranteed by the US Constitution and affirmed by the Supreme Court more than 125 years ago.
Trump on Monday issued a list of executive actions to start reshaping federal immigration and border policy, many of which are expected to face significant legal challenges.
“As commander in chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions, and that is what I’m going to do,” Trump said in his inaugural address.
The US government has long interpreted the US Constitution to mean that those born on American soil are citizens at birth, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
The 14th Amendment to the Constitution says, “All persons born or naturalised in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
But Trump directed federal agencies to stop issuing passports, citizenship certificates, and other documents to children born in the US to mothers who are in the country illegally and fathers who are not citizens or legal permanent residents, or to mothers who are temporary visa holders (and fathers who are not citizens or legal permanent residents).
Trump said his edict, which would not apply retroactively, should be enforced in 30 days. But just hours after it was issued, the American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups filed a lawsuit challenging the action in federal court.
He also cited extraordinary presidential powers to effectively suspend US asylum law, accusing migrants of staging an “invasion” at the southern border and endangering public health.
He authorised officials to “repel, repatriate, or remove” migrants, suspending their “physical entry” into the US through his constitutional powers. The far-reaching order essentially allows the U.S. government to stop adhering to American asylum law until Mr. Trump issues a “finding that the invasion at the southern border has ceased.”
