US President Donald Trump new proposal to end birthright citizenship has been a very contentious issues. Mr. Trump is planning to use his presidential executive power to end birthright citizenship to babies born with unauthorized migrants and non-citizen American. He believes it has to end and it will happen.
Those who support US President claim that we cannot abuse the US 14th Amendment to benefits they and it main purpose of this proposal is to restrict immigration intake."
I think it's a rather absurd proposal, candidly. I think that it's pretty clear that the Constitution explicitly confers citizenship on people who are born or naturalised in the United States. What the president cannot do is by executive fiat strip away rights that are found in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. He is not a king," said Sarah Terberville, Chair of the Constitution Project.
Those opponent however see it differently, saying that under this amendment of the US, everyone who are born and naturalized in the United States of America are American and should be protected and be given US citizenship.
Mr. Trump claimed that US is the only nation on the world that giving birthright citizenship under the US 14th Amendment known as jus soli, though The Center for Immigration Study research suggested otherwise. There are actually at least 30 countries including the Northern America namely Mexico, the US and Canada that giving birthright citizenship to babies born in the US. When SBS News dig deeper, it appeared that there are at least 40 countries in the world that doing this. But Australia is not part of it.
"It was always told to me that you needed a constitutional amendment. Guess what? You don't, you don't. Number one. Number one you don't need that. You can definitely do it with an act of Congress. But now they're saying I can do it just with an executive order," said US President Donald Trump when interviewed by US Network TV H.B.O.
Currently Mr. Trump is still seeking legal advise from his White House legal team and they said they are reviewing his proposal.
Australia Has changed its Citizenship Legislation Act in 1986. Only babies who are born with one parent who either is Australian citizen or a permanent residents are recognized as Australian and eligible for Australian citizenship, but they must stay in Australia at least for the next 10 years.
India has also terminate this birthright citizenship in 2004 as well, to stop immigration from Bangladesh. Only babies born with on Indian parent either mother or father are recognized as Indian citizen and are entitle to citizenship.
But during this US mid-term election, US president Donald Trump's political rhetoric is pretty much very sentimental issue. The Democrats are trying very hard to gain control of senate majority if American voters swing their votes. This could cause a big headache for the Trump Administration if it is the case. It could also be a political deadlock like the previous incident we have seen, however, harnessing presidential executive power maybe the only option left for US President, but how far can he go and how will he implement this change.
Therefore political, and possibly legal, battles over immigration in the United States look set to continue for some time to come.
