Rep. Courtney Calls Out Trump’s “Ludicrous” Order to End Birthright Citizenship

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement after President Trump issued an Executive Order to end birthright citizenship. Connecticut is one of 18 states who filed a lawsuit to stop the Executive Order. 

“The Trump administration’s ludicrous Executive Order that seeks to overturn the US Constitution’s amendment granting birthright citizenship, one of the great legacies of Abrahm Lincoln, is an affront to our country’s rich history. I enthusiastically support Connecticut Attorney General Tong’s lawsuit and expect the courts will swiftly strike down the order, which is richly deserved.” 

Birthright citizenship is the principle that every baby born in the United States is a U.S. citizen. The Constitution’s 14th Amendment guarantees the citizenship of all children born in the United States (with the extremely narrow exception of children of foreign diplomats) regardless of race, color, or ancestry. Specifically, it states that “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.”

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