Trump ‘wants to END birthright citizenship before he leaves office’: President could strip immigration rights from US-born babies as administration pushes bold policies in his final weeks
- President Trump has been vowing to sign an executive order ending birthright citizenship for years
- Some constitutional scholars argue that birthright citizenship is protected under the 14th Amendment, however the issue has not been addressed by the courts
- The executive order is just one that the Trump Administration is reportedly planning to make before they leave the White House on January 20
President Trump is reportedly considering signing an executive order ending birthright citizenship before he leaves the Oval Office.
On Friday, various sources told The Hill that members of the Trump Administration have been discussing the issue with increasing frequency. They are hoping to push the President into taking action before Joe Biden is sworn in on January 20.
Under current law, all babies born in United States are automatically granted citizenship, regardless of whether or not their parents are American. An executive order signed by President Trump would likely put an end to such legal protections.
The Trump Administrations declined to comment specifically on the issue when approached by The Hill.
Instead, White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere issued a statement saying: ‘Since taking office, President Trump has never shied away from using his lawful executive authority to advance bold policies and fulfill the promises he made to the American people.’
President Trump is considering signing an executive order ending birthright citizenship before he leaves the Oval Office, The Hill reports
Some constitutional scholars say any executive order Trump signs on the issue would not hold up under the law. They argue that birthright citizenship is protected under the 14th Amendment.
However, the courts have not definitively ruled on the issue.
A legal challenge would almost certainly follow any executive order signed by the President.
According to The Hill: ‘The Department of Justice has been consulted about a possible birthright citizenship order given that it would have deal with the legal implications of any new policy.’
The President has previously discussed ending birthright citizenship, claiming that he can indeed enforce the action without an amendment.
‘It was always told to me that you needed a constitutional amendment. Guess what? You don’t,’ Trump told Axios back in 2018.
Trump told that publication at the time that he had been talking about it with his White House counsel.
‘It’s in the process. It’ll happen, with an executive order,’ he stated.
The President has previously discussed ending birthright citizenship, claiming that he can indeed enforce the action without an amendment
Despite having years to sign executive orders and create policy, the Trump Administration appears to be in a mad dash to push through bold initiatives before Joe Biden is sworn in as the nation’s 46th President.
According to The Hill, the Administration wants to pass additional reforms to the H-1B visa program and new measures targeting China.
Additionally, Attorney General Bill Barr has scheduled three more federal executions before the start of Biden’s administration.
The Justice Department says it is scheduling the executions of Alfred Bourgeois for December 11, Cory Johnson for January 14, and Dustin Higgs for January 15.
The last of those executions will take place less than a week before Biden takes office.
The President-elect has vowed to end federal executions and incentivize states to also stop capital punishment.
According to The Hill: ‘The Department of Justice has been consulted about a possible birthright citizenship order given that it would have deal with the legal implications of any new policy.’
