President Trump expects to end birthright citizenship with support from Supreme Court
WASHINGTON − President Donald Trump said Thursday he expects the U.S. Supreme Court will side with him in the legal fight over ending citizenship for the children of immigrants in the country without legal authorization.
A federal judge has blocked Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship for children born to parents who are both in the country without authorization. But when asked whether he expected at least five of the nine members of the high court to support his position, Trump said yes.
"I think so, yeah," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office after signing unrelated executive orders. "I just think we’ll end up winning in court, in the Supreme Court. I think we’re going to win that case. I look forward to winning it."
Trump's policy appears to clash with the 14th Amendment to the Constitution approved in 1868. The amendment says, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."
Trump signed the executive order on his first day in office Jan. 20. Trump argued the amendment applied to the children of former slaves, which he called "good and noble," but that it is no longer tenable with international migration.
What the Trump administration means for you: Sign up for Paste BN's On Politics newsletter.
U.S. District Judge John Coughenour in Seattle called the order “blatantly unconstitutional” in blocking it. But Trump said he would ultimately win if and when his efforts reach the Supreme Court.
“Birthright citizenship, if you look back at when this was passed – made – that was meant for the children of slaves," Trump said. "This was not meant for the whole world to come in and pile into the United States of America. Everybody coming in and totally unqualified people and with perhaps unqualified children. This wasn’t meant for that."