Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announces he seeks to eliminate the constitutional guarantee of citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants born in the U.S.
This “birthright citizenship” has been protected under the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to all individuals “born or naturalized in the United States.” This language is what protects conservatives from opposing and challenging it in court.
In a detailed list of immigration objectives, DeSantis pledged to “take action to end the idea that the children of illegal aliens are entitled to birthright citizenship if they are born in the United States.”
“Dangling the prize of citizenship to the future offspring of illegal immigrants is a major driver of illegal migration. It is also inconsistent with the original understanding of the 14th Amendment, and we will force the courts and Congress to finally address this failed policy,” he added.
DeSantis has expressed his opposition to birthright citizenship before, saying in a Fox News interview in 2018, “I don’t think that that’s a good policy.”
In a different interview in 2018, he told a Florida CBS station, “It has never been finally determined whether someone who is transiently in the country — whether as a tourist or here illegally — whether that 14th Amendment would apply to that.”
He added, “I tend to think the original interpretation of that would not apply. But I think most of the court decisions lean toward if you’re born here, you do it.”
The language in DeSantis’ immigration policy rollout frames how open he is to challenge the policy.
DeSantis’ immigration objectives include more than 30 other policy proposals, several geared toward building a wall along the southern border and others aimed at holding drug cartels accountable.
DeSantis pledged to deport people who overstay their visas, tax remittances from undocumented immigrants, and end the policy of catch-and-release. He also vowed to increase the salaries of Border Patrol agents and strengthen the penalties for people who traffic fentanyl into the United States.
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