National Civil Rights Group Condemns Reported Executive Order Seeking To End “Birthright Citizenship”


WASHINGTON, D.C. –The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s statement indicating future action to end “birthright citizenship.”

“Aside from being unconstitutional, such an executive order would exacerbate racial tensions, exploit fears and drive further polarization across the country at a moment that calls for unity and inclusion,” said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.  “It is hard to imagine an executive order that would be more ill-timed or misguided given recent events across the country that have led to an increase in hate crimes and marginalization of minority communities based on race, national origin and religion. The Fourteenth Amendment confers citizenship on those born in this country and an executive order that disrupts this settled principle and arbitrarily strips away citizenship from the children of non-citizens would create a racially-identifiable group of second-class citizens. Such a result would be repugnant to the principles of fairness and equality that are enshrined in our Constitution.”

Clarke continued, “From a proposed border wall, intensifying ICE raids, separation of families at the border and more, this administration has repeatedly promoted policies that demonize and marginalize immigrant communities, with a particular focus on the race, national origin and religion of those targeted.”