Trump’s ability to end birthright citizenship through executive order is limited without amending the 14th Amendment, Northwestern professor argues

CHICAGO (WLS) — President-elect Donald Trump wants to end birthright citizenship in the U.S.

Trump’s team is working on an executive order to limit automatic citizenship for people born in the U.S.

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Chicago is a melting pot of nationalities. People hail from Mexico, Poland, Ukraine, Canada and, in the early days, Germany and Ireland.

The Constitution grants citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents’ legal status, and where they come from.

Trump expressed his strong opinion about granting citizenship, mentioning the absurdity of becoming a citizen just by setting foot on the land, even if it is just one foot. He conveyed his intention of terminating this practice as he finds it unreasonable.

In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Trump said he will end birthright citizenship, a right protected under the 14th Amendment.

Delia Ramirez, a Democrat representing the 3rd District, highlighted the significant contribution of individuals to various industries such as housing, legislative, and hospitality sectors. She emphasized that these individuals have played a crucial role in the success and wealth accumulation of individuals like Trump.

Ramirez said Trump is talking about people like her.

Ramirez shared her personal story, emphasizing her birth at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. She expressed her deep concern regarding the possibility of losing citizenship due to her parents’ undocumented status, describing it as an incredibly harsh and inhumane consequence.

Trump said he would issue an executive order.

“Can you do this by executive order? No, not legally, no, there is not really any sensible debate about this,” said professor Paul Gowder, from Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law.

The idea is laughable to Gowder because he said the 14th Amendment is one of the clearest provisions in the Constitution.

“This is something where there is clear legal tradition older than the U.S.,” Gowder said.

Birthright citizenship was settled at the end of the Civil War.

Overturning an amendment is very difficult. It takes the House, Senate and state legislatures.

If Trump were to order U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport immigrants lacking permanent legal status with their U.S.-born children, it is likely the deportations will be challenged in court.

“This law is so clear that it seems unlikely to me that the Supreme Court would even rule on it,” Gowder said.

Despite his harsh tone on birthright citizenship, Trump took a softer stance on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, saying he would work with Democrats to allow people who came to the U.S. as children stay in the U.S.