'Nonsense': Historians balk at Trump’s claim he’ll end birthright citizenship with executive order

09 December 2024

Since winning the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump has doubled down on his promise to end birthright citizenship. And he iterated his opposition to birthright citizenship during an interview with NBC News' Kristen Welker aired on "Meet the Press" on Sunday, December 8.

But birthright citizenship is in the U.S. Consitution's 14th Amendment. And historian Manisha Sinha is reminding him that part of a constitutional amendment cannot be ended via an executive order.

Responding to Trump's interview with Welker, historian Manisha Sinha posted, "Historian here how do you end a clause in a constitutional amendment through an executive order? Trump has floated this idea before and it's absolute nonsense."

During the interview, Trump described birthright citizenship as "ridiculous," telling Welker, "We have to end it."

Welker explained how birthright citizenship works, telling Trump that some families have "mixed immigration status" — and while a parent "might be here illegally," the "kids are here legally."

Trump claimed that birthright citizenship is unique to the United States, telling Welker, "We've the only country that has it, you know."

NBC News' Allan Smith notes, however, that "according to a review by the Library of Congress, more than 30 nations provide birthright citizenship, including Canada and Brazil."

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