(FixThisNation.com) – On Tuesday, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) introduced new legislation that would disqualify children whose parents are not U.S. citizens from receiving birthright citizenship.
The bill is titled “End Birthright Citizenship Fraud Act of 2023,” and if successful it would change the Immigration and Nationality Act into what the statement describes as a more accurate reflection of the 14th Amendment’s intention.
The 14th Amendment clearly states that U.S. citizenship is given to all “born or naturalized in the United States.” This amendment has been in place since 1866 and following the Civil War, it was essential for giving equal rights to people who had until recently been enslaved.
In a Supreme Court case from 1898, United States v. Wong Kim Ark, it was upheld that children born in the United States were eligible to receive citizenship regardless of the immigration status of their parents.
Former President Donald Trump has previously blasted the idea of birthright citizenship and has often stated that when he wins back the White House one of the first things he is intending on, is to ensure that birthright citizenship ends. Trump had previously stated that he would do this through an executive order, however, legal experts have pointed out that the President does not have the legal authority to take such action.
If Gaetz’s legislation is successful then all children born in the U.S. to parents who are not citizens would not be permitted to gain birthright citizenship. There is an exclusion in the legislation which notes that refugees who lawfully entered the U.S., permanent residents, and those who are in the U.S. Armed Forces are not included in the limitations set by the legislation.
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