Leaders Condemn President Trump’s Plan to End Birthright Citizenship

Following President Trump’s remarks indicating that he intends to sign an executive order that would effectively end birthright citizenship—a central pillar of the American immigration system— the National Director of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, Gregg Orton issued the following statement:

“Under normal circumstances, we would likely not respond to obvious, incendiary political stunts that are intended to provoke and polarize, rather than unify; however, these are not normal circumstances. If President Trump is serious about his proposal, and this is not a desperate attempt to galvanize his political base a week before the elections, he should release it, so all the world can see that there is no question that white nationalism has found a home in the White House.

If President Trump does decide to add this to his already-lengthy list of anti-immigrant accomplishments, we will be there in unwavering opposition to remind him that the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and other communities of color are what truly make America great and we aren’t going anywhere.”

Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa issued the following statement:

“This is another one of Trump’s election year stunts to rile up his extreme right-wing base. Trump cannot end the Constitution’s guarantee of U.S. citizenship for children born in the United States to noncitizens with an executive order. In a rare rebuke of his President, house Speaker Paul Ryan dismissed Trump’s statement, telling WVLK in Kentucky, ‘Well, you obviously cannot do that.’”

“Just like wasting valuable tax payer resources to send more than 5,000 troops to the Southern border to prepare for a made-up migrant invasion, Trump’s birthright comments are nothing more than pandering to the racist extremists in his Republican party.”

“Trump wants to distract Americans from his efforts to undermine the Affordable Care Act and take away protections for people with pre-existing conditions. He needs people to forget that his Republican Party will cut Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security if they retain control of the Congress. Don’t buy it; he is making it up as he goes along.”