(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump said Sunday that the Founding Fathers “are spinning in their graves” after his bid to abolish birthright citizenship for the children of parents who are in the U.S. illegally hit another snag.
On Thursday, a fourth federal judge blocked the executive order issued by the president on his first day in the Oval Office.
Trump argued he is abiding by the 14th Amendment, which his opposers argue he is violating the essence of it.
“The 14th Amendment Right of American Citizenship never had anything to do with modern day “gate crashers,” illegal immigrants who break the Law by being in our Country, it had everything to do with giving Citizenship to former slaves,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Our Founding Fathers are “spinning in their graves” at the idea that our Country can be taken away from us. No Nation in the World has anything like this. Our lawyers and Judges have to be tough, and protect America!
The 14th Amendment states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
The Trump administration has asserted that children of noncitizens are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States and therefore not entitled to citizenship.
The U.S. is among about 30 countries where birthright citizenship — the principle of jus soli or “right of the soil” — is applied. Most are in the Americas, and Canada and Mexico are among them.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.