Truthout is an indispensable resource for activists, movement leaders and workers everywhere. Please make this work possible with a quick donation.
It’s not just Donald Trump and Scott Walker that have declared children born on American soil should no longer be considered citizens: the American Legislative Exchange Council, or “ALEC,” made the same claim in 2008.
This week, Donald Trump released a six-page immigration plan that, among other far-fetched proposals (like having the Mexican government pay for a border wall), called for ending the birthright citizenship guaranteed by the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment, calling it “the biggest magnet for illegal immigration.”
In the face of declining poll numbers, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker jumped on the bandwagon, declaring that he too would dismantle the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.” Even GOP presidential candidates who personally benefitted from birthright citizenship joined in. Marco Rubio and Bobby Jindal, both of whom are American citizens despite being born to non-citizen parents, called for restricting the program.
How these candidates would undo 117 years of precedent is unclear: they would either have to amend the constitution, or appoint activist US Supreme Court justices willing to reverse the 1898 court decision that found the constitution guaranteed citizenship to all children born in the United States.
The American Legislative Exchange Council, or “ALEC,” adopted the same policy in a 2008 resolution. View it here.
This is ALEC’s logic:
The resolution calls on the United States Congress to “enact legislation clarifying the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution as denying citizenship status to children of illegal aliens simply by virtue of their being born in the United States,” although doing so would have no legal effect.
The following year, ALEC would adopt as “model” legislation the bill that would become Arizona’s anti-immigrant SB1070. At the time, private prison companies like Corrections Corporation of America were ALEC members, and also stood to profit from more immigrants behind bars.
Although ALEC dropped all immigration and crime-related policy creation in 2012 until recently after the controversy over its role in the Stand Your Ground legislation, it has never denounced this measure or done anything to repeal ALEC-inspired anti-immigration laws.
David Armiak contributed to this article.
An urgent fundraising appeal: 48 Hours to raise $20,000
Thank you for reading Truthout today. We have a brief message before you go —
Unfortunately, donations are down for Truthout at a time when media is under immense pressure. Trump is arresting journalists, Big Tech is censoring independent news, and economic conditions for media have been worsening for years.
Simultaneously, movement media is vital in the fight against Trump’s authoritarian reign. Our mandate to tell the truth, share strategies for resistance, and speak against fascism is ever more urgent in this deluge of political censorship. Yet, we are struggling to meet our publishing costs when our work is so urgently needed.
If you can support Truthout with a one-time or monthly donation, you will make a significant impact on our work. Please give today during our fundraiser (only 48 hours left).