Aug. 6 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump is again aiming to limit birthright citizenship, just over a month after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutional right.
Trump on Thursday signed two executive orders, with one expanding who would not be guaranteed citizenship automatically, including “alien enemies of the United States, members of foreign terrorist organizations and large categories of people who lobby and act on behalf of foreign governments,” The Hill quoted officials as saying.
The second order would ban “birth tourism,” which occurs when a traveler enters another country to give birth there to ensure automatic citizenship. The practice is already illegal since it involves fraudulently obtaining a visa.
Birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, which was adopted following the Civil War. With limited exceptions, it makes anyone born on U.S. soil a citizen.
Four exceptions to the 14th Amendment have been recognized by courts over the years, including children born in the U.S. to foreign sovereigns and diplomats, those born on foreign ships, and children of Native American tribes. However, Native Americans have been guaranteed citizenship since 1924.
Trump, on his first day in office of this second term, signed an executive order to end birthright citizenship, but it never took effect after several lower courts blocked it. The Supreme Court on June 30 ruled 6-3 against the order.
Trump told reporters Thursday that birthright citizenship was intended for “the babies of slaves.”
“What’s happening now are people are building businesses around it; wealthy people are building businesses around birthright citizenship,” he continued. “That’s not the way it’s supposed to work. It’s a disgrace. They’re buying their way in, and we’re not going to let that happen.”
