When Donald Trump speaks on immigration, he rarely holds back — and his latest remarks on birthright citizenship are raising eyebrows once again.
Since returning to office on January 20, Trump has wasted no time in pushing his policy agenda. From renegotiating trade agreements to clamping down on drug trafficking and violent crime, the former president has made immigration one of his top priorities.
Under the current administration, deportation efforts have ramped up significantly. In a controversial move, many migrants have reportedly been sent to El Salvador’s sprawling mega-jail without formal legal proceedings, a process fast-tracked using an old wartime law. Some non-citizens were offered what’s being called a “free flight” out of the U.S., plus an “exit bonus” as an added incentive to leave voluntarily.
But now, Trump is turning his attention once again to birthright citizenship — the constitutional right granted under 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…”
The Trump administration has been attempting to revoke this right for children born in the U.S. to parents who are not permanent residents — such as undocumented immigrants or individuals in the U.S. on temporary visas like tourist, student, or work permits.