Washington: US President Donald Trump has claimed that birthright citizenship was established for the children of slaves in the country. Speaking to Politico, the Republican leader, who signed an executive order on his first day in office to end birthright citizenship, said that the law has been used by “rich” immigrants to come and settle in the US.
Speaking to Politico about this executive order against birthright citizenship, Trump stated it would be “devastating” if the Supreme Court rules against his administration.
“The case is very interesting because that case was meant for the babies of slaves. And if you look at the dates on the case, it was exactly having to do with the Civil War. That case was not meant for some rich person coming from another country, dropping ... putting a foot in our country, and all of a sudden their whole family becomes, you know, United States citizens,” he said.
“That case is all about slaves, the babies of slaves, and it was a good reason for doing it. And that’s all it was about, and people now are understanding it. It’s been explained to ’em. And I think the court understands it, too. That would be a devastating decision if we lose that case,” he added.
Trump added that when the law was passed, it was in the same timeline as the US Civil War. Echoing his policies on immigration, Trump added that his decision to end the law was because “our country cannot afford to house tens of millions of people”.
In January 2025, on his first day back as President of the United States, Trump signed an executive order ending birthright citizenship in the US.
Under the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution - “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” The 14th Amendment was added to the US Constitution in 1868, just after the Civil War, in order to grant citizenship to the formerly enslaved people and those born on US soil.