By: Ashmar Mandou
US President Donald Trump vowed Tuesday to end birthright citizenship -the process by which babies born in the country automatically become citizens -by executive order, while stating the US was the only nation to grant such rights. According to the CIA World Factbook, nearly three dozen countries, mostly in Central and South America, currently recognize jus soli, the Latin term for “right of the soil,” commonly known in the US as birthright citizenship. In the US, citizenship is governed by the 14th amendment to the constitution, which 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.” Despite Trump’s claim that he can rescind this right by executive order, lawmakers on both the left and right stated it is almost impossible without a constitutional amendment. Local elected officials in Illinois attributed Trump’s announcement as nothing more than a scare tactic to ward off voters and issued statements to encourage voters to head to the polls.
“The 14th Amendment and decades of Supreme Court precedent are crystal clear: Anyone born in the U.S. and within its legal reach is a U.S. citizen. The president has no authority to single-handedly overturn the 14th Amendment. To quote Gold Star father Khizr Khan, ‘Have you even read the U.S. Constitution?’ This administration is again trying to score political points by viciously attacking and dehumanizing immigrant families right before the election. As Halloween approaches, we will not be scared, and we will not be tricked. Instead we will make our voices heard one week from today at the polls–and we urge everyone eligible to GO VOTE!” -Executive Director of the Illinois Coalition for Refugee and Immigrant Rights Lawrence Benito
“This is just another example of the president saying something outrageous to drum up support. The president alone does not have the authority to override the Constitution. He knows this, and yet he is once again stoking fear and division. What he is proposing is not only unconstitutional – it is un-American. At its core, America is about welcoming people and giving them a chance at a better life. We must continue to fight this racist rhetoric and ensure the immigrant families in our state know they are welcome.” -Assistant Majority Leader Iris Y. Martinez
“Once again, President Trump is abusing his office to attract support from right wing extremists,” Castro said. “We need to work together as a society to embrace the contributions diversity brings to our nation, state and society instead of pitting people against each other. Plain and simple, the president’s actions are illegal.” -State Senator Cristina Castro
“Trump is showing his desperation headed into next week. It is incredible how far he is willing to go to protect himself from Speaker Pelosi and the subpoenas he knows are coming next year. He must be making a lot more money from his time in office than we even imagined. Republicans can’t run on the colossal tax-cuts for billionaires and they can’t run on taking health care from middle-class families; so the Trump approach is to ratchet up the division, fear and hate. Even as we cope with bombers and mass murderers triggered by lies about refugees and immigrants, Trump keeps going back to his comfort zone, the foundation of his presidency: hating on brown people.” -Congressman Luis Gutierrez
“Trump’s proposed executive order assumes he or any President has the sole authority to change our constitution. It’s an insult to the very document that guarantees our rights as Americans. This is another tactic to gain popularity by instilling fear of our immigrant community in his supporters. People seeking asylum in this country have a human right to be treated with dignity. I will continue to be a voice for immigrants who have contributed so much to my district, our state and country.” -Assistant Majority Leader Antonio “Tony” Munoz
