U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has expressed approval following the Supreme Court’s decision to hear oral arguments on President Donald Trump’s push to restrict birthright citizenship. This case addresses the granting of citizenship to children born in the United States to non-citizens, a subject that has been a controversial topic in discussions surrounding immigration policy.
Graham stated, “I’m very pleased to hear that the Supreme Court will review President Trump’s executive order to end the abuses of birthright citizenship.”
According to Graham, the 14th Amendment does not obligate the United States to grant citizenship to children of illegal aliens or people in the country on nonimmigrant visas. He elaborated, “I have long believed that the 14th amendment does not require granting citizenship to the children of illegal aliens or foreign nationals here on temporary, nonimmigrant visas. To that end, last year I introduced legislation to limit birthright citizenship.”
The senator identified birthright citizenship as a major incentive for illegal immigration. He also mentioned “birth tourism,” especially from China, as a significant industry where individuals use tourist visas to give birth in the U.S. to secure citizenship for their children. Graham remarked, “One of the greatest pull factors for illegal immigration is birthright citizenship. In addition, birth tourism, particularly involving China, is a large industry where people obtain tourist visas for the purpose of giving birth in the U.S. and establishing U.S. citizenship for that child.”
Hoping for a decisive Supreme Court ruling, Graham stated, “It is my hope the Court will settle this issue once and for all, and that my legislation to stop the abuse of birthright citizenship will pass quickly.”
