Open to Debate Should America End Birthright Citizenship?
10 snips
Oct 24, 2025 
In a lively debate, Horace Cooper, a constitutional scholar and former law professor, argues against birthright citizenship, claiming it's a misapplication of the 14th Amendment. Opposing him, Kris Mayes, Arizona's Attorney General, highlights the amendment's integral value to equality and its historical context. Mark Krikorian presents data on illegal immigration trends supporting his stance for change, while Chris Newman passionately defends birthright citizenship as crucial for protecting children's rights and promoting inclusion. The discussion also touches on the potential chaos of policy reversal and the fundamental concepts of national identity.
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Original Intent Debate Over 14th Amendment
- Horace Cooper argues the 14th Amendment was meant for freed slaves, not unlimited modern birthright claims.
- He says Wong Kim Ark and later precedent misapplied that original intent to today's context.
Textualist Defense Of Birthright Citizenship
- Kris Mayes emphasizes the plain text of the 14th Amendment: born here equals citizen.
- She stresses Wong Kim Ark and federal law as longstanding confirmations of that rule.
Scale Changes The Policy Problem
- Mark Krikorian highlights scale: modern transport and millions of nonimmigrant admissions changed the stakes.
- He notes about 10% of U.S. births now involve parents who might not qualify under a narrower rule.
