President Donald Trump, of United States has signed an executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship.
The executive order, issued on Monday, is part of a series of actions aimed at reshaping federal immigration and border policy.
“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.
CBS News reports that 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 explicitly states: “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.”
However, Trump’s directive instructs federal agencies to stop issuing citizenship 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).
The policy, set to take effect in 30 days, will not apply retroactively. Despite this, advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, swiftly filed a lawsuit challenging its legality.
Trump further invoked presidential powers to suspend asylum laws, accusing migrants at the southern border of staging an “invasion” and posing public health risks.