Trump proposes to remove birthright citizenship for some US-born babies

Trump said he wants to order the end of the constitutional right to citizenship for babies of non-citizens and unauthorised immigrants born in the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump. (File Photo/ Credit AP)

New Delhi: In what can prove to be a fresh blow to the immigrants in the United States, President Donald Trump has said he is mulling over an executive order to end birthright citizenship for babies of non-citizens. In his comments to “Axios on HBO”, Trump said he wants to order the end of the constitutional right to citizenship for babies of non-citizens and unauthorised immigrants born in the United States. Trump’s statement comes amid the government’s latest clampdown on immigrants and a renewed push for hardline immigration policies, ahead of the midterm elections. Trump believes focusing on immigration will boost his supporters and help Republicans keep control of Congress. If executed, the order of revoking birthright citizenship would trigger a court fight over the President’s unilateral ability to change an amendment to the Constitution as the 14th amendment to the Constitution guaranteed citizenship right for children born in the US. The first line of the 14th Amendment states: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside." The 14th Amendment was passed by Congress in 1866 during the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War. When he was asked about the legal validity of such an executive order Trump said he could do it just with an executive order. He said the White House lawyers are reviewing his proposal and it is not quite clear how quickly he would act on an executive order. He added that "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." An excerpt of the interview was posted on Axios' website on Tuesday. Omar Jadwat, director of the Immigrants' Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union in New York, said Tuesday said the Constitution is very clear and it was outrageous that the president who has an obligation to uphold the Constitution, can think he can override constitutional guarantees by issuing an executive order.