President Donald Trump and his administration are fighting to overturn birthright citizenship guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and they just might succeed under the current ultra-conservative U.S. Supreme Court, but Trump gave a shocking explanation for why he wants to end the right during an interview with Politico.
The Supreme Court on Dec. 5 agreed to hear arguments in the case that stems from an executive order Trump signed shortly after taking office in January. The order banned automatic citizenship for people born in the U.S. to undocumented migrants or from short-term visitors such as tourists.
Federal courts and appeals courts have consistently blocked the order from taking effect as it winds its way through the court system, according to NPR.
But in his interview with Politico, Trump argued that Section 1 of the 14th Amendment, 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,” was only “meant for the babies of slaves.”
“If you look at the dates on the case, it was exactly having to do with the Civil War,” Trump insisted.
“That case was not meant from some rich person coming from another country, dropping, putting a foot in our country, and all of a sudden their whole family becomes, you know, United States citizens. That case is all about slaves, the babies of slaves. And it was a good reason for doing it, and that’s all it was about,” he continued to maintain.
The 14th Amendment was passed by Congress in June of 1866 after the Civil War ended and ratified two years later in July of 1868.
Social media went nuts after Trump repeatedly claimed that birthright citizenship only applied to babies born to formerly enslaved people after the Civil War.
“That’s so interesting bc his mother was not a slave, and neither were two of his three wives that he had children with. Why do reporters not FACT CHECK HIM IN REAL TIME,” a frustrated viewer wondered.
“Delusional!,” one X user simply replied. “His stupidity knows no low,” another user wrote.
Both Trump’s first wife, Ivana Trump, and third wife, Melania Trump, became naturalized U.S. citizens after moving to the U.S. from European countries. And the first lady’s parents became U.S. citizens in 2018 through a path known as family-based immigration, according to NPR, something the president repeatedly refers to as “chain migration.”
“’…Not meant for some rich person coming from another country…and then all of a sudden the whole family becomes American citizens’ ISN’T THIS GUY SELLING AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP FOR $5M?!?!” this Threads user questioned.
Trump has suggested a new visa program that would offer a so-called “Gold Card” for $1 million or a “Platinum Card” for $5 million that would give wealthy foreigners a chance to live in the U.S. and potentially become citizens, but if he does away with birthright citizenship it’s possible any children they had in the U.S. might not be citizens, unless the high court rules in his favor.
“Don’t be surprised if the MAGA Supreme Court agrees with him. So far they have given Trump everything he wants,” Threads user James Dixon noted.
And they just might hand him another victory. The case will likely hinge on the meaning or interpretation of the phrase “and subject to the jurisdiction thereof” in the 14th Amendment.
The Trump administration is arguing that people in the country on a temporary basis who give birth are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the U.S., NPR reported.
The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in the case by the end of its next term in June.
