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What Next | Daily News and Analysis

Can Trump End Birthright Citizenship?

Jan 14, 2025
Isabela Dias, an immigration reporter for Mother Jones, dives into the heated debate over Donald Trump's vow to end birthright citizenship. She discusses the legal complexities tied to the 14th Amendment and the historical roots of this right in American law. The conversation reveals how the Wong Kim Ark case established citizenship rights amidst racial biases. Dias also examines potential strategies to overturn this constitutional guarantee, highlighting the profound implications for American identity and the ongoing immigration discourse.
30:46

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Trump's vow to eliminate birthright citizenship raises constitutional questions, potentially altering longstanding rights for children of undocumented immigrants.
  • Efforts to change birthright citizenship would face legal hurdles, necessitating significant justification and consensus among the Supreme Court justices.

Deep dives

Trump's Day One Immigration Promises

Donald Trump has made significant promises regarding immigration reform that he intends to implement on the first day of his new administration. Among these, one of the most controversial is the proposal to eliminate birthright citizenship, which would change longstanding American principles and could fundamentally alter citizenship rights for children born to undocumented immigrants. This proposal suggests that children born in the U.S. without at least one parent being a legal resident or citizen would not automatically gain citizenship rights, potentially leaving millions in legal limbo. Such a drastic change raises questions about the use of executive power and the constitutional ramifications of such an action.

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