In the opening hours of his second term, Donald Trump signed an executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship. This is a culmination of a long-standing campaign against immigration, which has been characterized by jingoistic propaganda and falsehoods. Trump has falsely claimed that the United States is the only country that has birthright citizenship and declared the unlawful southern border crossings tantamount to an “invasion.”
The order declares that those born in the United States are not entitled to automatic citizenship if the mother was unlawfully present in the United States and the father was not a citizen or legal permanent resident. It further declares citizenship would be denied if the mother was present legally but temporarily and the father was not a citizen or legal permanent resident.It claims that children of such noncitizens are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States, and so are exempt from the 14th amendment’s constitutional guarantee.
This order was met with immediate challenges that, when asked, Trump claimed not to concern him, stating, “We think we have good grounds” to move ahead. Legal scholars disagree.
Twenty-two states have sued Trump to block the executive order, as it is a blatant violation of the Constitution. New Jersey’s Attorney General was quoted by the New York Times saying, “Presidents are powerful, but he is not a king. He cannot rewrite the Constitution with a stroke of the pen.” Washington State’s Attorney General characterized the executive order as “plainly illegal.” Legal opposition to the executive order benefits from favorable constitutional language and more than a century of established legal precedent.
Worryingly, the US Constitution has been removed from the White House website since Trump’s return to office, though a white house spokesperson claims this a temporary error due to “tweaking” of the website.
Be very careful!
Beware of notaries, immigration consultants or anyone who is not qualified and prepared in these matters. Always seek the advice and services of an immigration attorney for your immigration processes and procedures.