The newly elected US President, Donald Trump, has signed an order that aims to end birthright citizenship in the country. This measure abolishes the current law, which allows babies born in the US territory to parents who are not US citizens, to be automatically granted citizenship.
The new order, which is expected to be implemented 30 days from now, would affect children born in the US to parents who do not hold citizenship, including here mothers who are on a legal visa or illegally staying in the county and fathers who are not permanent residents nor US citizens, VisaGuide.World reports.
The law that permitted birthright citizenship in the US was approved in 1898 and is known as the 14th Amendment. Since children born on US soil were automatically granted citizenship, their foreign parents remained irregular migrants.
It was estimated that between 2011 and 2021, nearly four million US children lived with one undocumented parent. In cases where parents are deported, children remain in the US, often falling into foster care.
Trump Hit With Lawsuit 2 Hours After Signing the Order to End Birthright Citizenship
Less than two hours after signing the order, immigrant rights advocates brought the suit in the federal court in New Hampshire, as Politico reports.
These advocates represented the interests of Indonesian immigrants in the state, in addition to Latinos and another group of US citizens who had at least one parent who entered or remained in the country irregularly. California and Illinois are also expected to file a lawsuit against Trump’s order.
Denying citizenship to the children of Plaintiffs’ members, as well as other children being born every day throughout the country, would have devastating impacts on these families and on the United States as a whole. Stripping children of the “priceless treasure” of citizenship is a grave injury. It denies them full membership in US society to which they are entitled.
If enforced, many children born in the US risk becoming stateless, which is a significant disadvantage, leaving many without benefits that citizenship offers, having no protection and even no right to vote.
Second Era of ‘Trumpism’? Here Are the Changes President Trump Has in Mind for 2025
As President Trump begins his second mandate after being overtaken by Biden in the previous years, many changes are expected to occur in the US.
Ending birthright citizenship is one of many changes that Trump has in mind. He has declared illegal migration a national emergency and has presented an action plan, which is mainly focused on deportations.
According to Reuters, Trump has ordered the Pentagon to provide support for barrier construction, migrant transportation and detention spaces for irregular migrants in the country.