Trump is preparing to make a constitutional change.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) expressed confidence that the Supreme Court may rule in favor of President Trump regarding the contentious issue of birthright citizenship. Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Graham discussed Trump’s executive order aiming to end birthright citizenship, which was temporarily blocked by a federal judge. Despite the setback, Graham believes there’s a solid chance the Supreme Court will take up the case and ultimately side with the president.
“I think there’s a good chance,” Graham said when asked about the likelihood of the Supreme Court taking action on the matter. “I proposed legislation to put an end to birthright citizenship years ago,” he continued, reinforcing his long-standing position on the issue.
President Trump’s efforts to challenge birthright citizenship have stirred significant debate within the Republican Party. On one side, conservatives who are concerned about illegal immigration and its potential to exploit U.S. citizenship laws are strongly backing the president’s initiative. They argue that the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of birthright citizenship is outdated and has been misused, particularly in cases where individuals born on U.S. soil to non-citizen parents automatically gain citizenship.
On the other hand, some moderate Republicans have raised concerns about altering a constitutional right that has stood for over 150 years. They fear that challenging birthright citizenship could have unintended consequences and create a divisive political battle.
Recently, U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, temporarily blocked Trump’s executive order, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional.” However, Graham, a staunch ally of the president’s immigration policies, strongly disagreed. He criticized birthright citizenship as an improper means of granting U.S. citizenship, stating, “You should not be a citizen simply because you were born here. It’s a cheap way to award citizenship.”
Graham’s remarks underscore the growing divide among Republicans over how to handle immigration reform and citizenship issues. As the legal battle continues, the fate of birthright citizenship could become a defining issue in future political debates.