Perspective: The effort to end birthright citizenship is an attempt to redefine who is American

Federal judges have repeatedly affirmed that birthright citizenship is a cornerstone of the U.S. Constitution and have prevented the order’s implementation.

It is critical to defeat the unlawful attack on birthright citizenship because it is a direct threat to all families and communities, including South Asian Americans. The EO targets those children born in the U.S. whose parents are on temporary visas, such as student visas or work visas, or are undocumented. By attempting to rob these children of their citizenship, the Trump administration aims to deny basic rights of U.S.-born babies based on their parents’ immigration status. And because enforcement of the order would require significantly more paperwork to prove citizenship, it has the potential to effectively deny citizenship to millions of other people, even those who qualify for it under the order itself.