Trump Vows to End Birthright Citizenship Through Executive Action

In a recent interview with "Meet the Press," President-elect Donald Trump reaffirmed his commitment to a robust immigration enforcement strategy, including the deportation of all undocumented immigrants in the United States.

This stance, which has been a cornerstone of his presidential campaign, underscores the administration's focus on immigration as a top priority. During the interview with Kristen Welker, Trump indicated that the deportation initiative would initially focus on undocumented immigrants with criminal records. However, he did not clarify which specific crimes would trigger deportation. "You have to do it," Trump said, emphasizing the need to enforce existing laws.

He also acknowledged that family members of those deported, including American citizens, might be impacted by this policy. “The people that have been mistreated are the ones who have been waiting in line for 10 years to come into the country,” he added.

Trump’s deportation plans extend to US citizens who have relatives residing in the country illegally. “I don't want to break up families,” he notes, suggesting that families with mixed immigration status would be deported collectively to avoid separation. He has assured Welker that under his administration, the deportations would be conducted “very humanely.” In addition to reasserting his plans for deportation, Trump has announced his intention to terminate birthright citizenship, established by the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to individuals born in the US including those born to undocumented parents.

Trump claims he would seek to repeal this through executive action, although such a move is expected to face legislative and judicial challenges. He inaccurately states that the US is the only country with such a policy, despite evidence that over 30 countries, including Canada and Brazil, also provide birthright citizenship. The President-elect expresses a willingness to work with Democrats on legislative solutions for Dreamers, or undocumented immigrants who entered the US as children.

Acknowledging their contributions to society, Trump states, “We have to do something about the Dreamers,” suggesting that finding a path for their legal residency could be a bipartisan effort. As Trump's administration approaches, his immigration policies continue to spark significant debate, particularly amidst concerns regarding the human impact of such measures. The increase in unauthorized crossings during President Joe Biden's administration has added urgency to the discussion, despite recent executive actions leading to a decline.

While Trump’s campaign has frequently highlighted violent crimes associated with undocumented immigrants, a 2024 study from the National Institute of Justice indicated that such individuals in Texas were arrested at rates significantly lower than those of native-born Americans.