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President Donald Trump warned Thursday that the United States could face significant economic consequences if the Supreme Court upholds the current interpretation of birthright citizenship laws.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, the president criticized the policy that grants automatic citizenship to most individuals born on U.S. soil.
“We’re the only country in the world that has it,” President Trump said. “You step into our country, and you’re all of a sudden a citizen.”
He argued the citizenship provision contained in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was originally intended to apply to formerly enslaved people after the Civil War rather than immigrants entering the country illegally or temporarily.
“It was not meant for Chinese billionaires to have their children become citizens of our country,” the president said.
The Supreme Court heard arguments earlier this month regarding President Trump’s executive order seeking to end automatic birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to illegal immigrants and certain temporary visa holders.
The case centers on the 14th Amendment, which states that anyone “born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,” is considered a U.S. citizen.
President Trump described the pending Supreme Court decision as highly significant and warned that maintaining the current interpretation would encourage additional illegal immigration.
“If this is allowed to stand, it will be a disaster economically for our country,” Trump said. “You’ll have 25% of the people coming into our country coming in through birthright citizenship, and we won’t have any control.”
The president also criticized the lawsuits challenging his administration’s efforts to restrict birthright citizenship.
“Birthright citizenship is a disgrace,” Trump said. “Study the people that are bringing the suit. These are not people that love our country.”
Trump also suggested he believes the Supreme Court could ultimately reject his administration’s position.
