Democratic lawmakers celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold birthright citizenship, delivering a blow to President Donald Trump’s attempted restrictions.
Speaking at a news conference outside the Capitol, the lawmakers spoke with one voice: “We’re right, and he’s wrong, birthright citizenship is protected,” said New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
“I have a message for President Trump. You may believe you are above the law, you are not. You may try to divide Americans based on race, religion, or their country of origin, and you will fail,” said New York Rep. Grace Meng, the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
“You may try to redefine what it means to be an American, and you will fail. We are American. We belong here. And no wannabe king will ever take that away from us,” she added.
Earlier Tuesday, the Supreme Court upheld a broad conception of birthright citizenship, rejecting President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.
The decision is in line with the longstanding judicial interpretation of the 14th Amendment and comes on the final day of a Supreme Court term that has centered on Trump’s expansive claims of presidential power — and largely ruled in his favor.
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