Lindsey Graham Will Introduce Legislation To End Birthright Citizenship; Trump Ready To Sign

Here's more, from the NY Post:

Sen. Lindsey Graham on Tuesday cheered President Trump’s latest plan to target illegal immigrants and fire up his base before the midterms — saying he would introduce legislation to end birthright citizenship.

“Finally, a president willing to take on this absurd policy of birthright citizenship,” the South Carolina Republican wrote.

“I plan to introduce legislation along the same lines as the proposed executive order from President @realDonaldTrump.”

Graham, who had floated the idea before, as far back as July 2010, said eliminating birthright citizenship, enshrined in the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, should be part of overall immigration reform, though he offered no details.

“I’ve always supported comprehensive immigration reform — and at the same time — the elimination of birthright citizenship,” he wrote.

Birthright citizenship, he said, encouraged illegal immigrants to come to the US, where their stateside-born children would automatically become citizens.

“The United States is one of two developed countries in the world who grant citizenship based on location of birth. This policy is a magnet for illegal immigration, out of the mainstream of the developed world, and needs to come to an end,” he said.

The other “developed” country is Canada, though about 30 other countries also offer citizenship to babies born to undocumented mothers.

Graham, once one of Trump’s toughest GOP critics, has morphed into one of the president’s most ardent admirers.

And as Trump ramps up his rhetoric against illegal immigration to energize his base before the Nov. 6 midterms, Graham was quick to offer his support.

In an earlier story from Fox News, Trump had suggested he would do an executive order if necessary:

President Trump said in a newly released interview he plans to sign an executive order ending so-called "birthright citizenship" for babies of non-citizens born on U.S. soil -- a move that would mark a major overhaul of immigration policy and trigger an almost-certain legal battle.

Birthright citizenship allows any baby born on U.S. soil to automatically be a U.S. citizen.

The policy, which stems from a disputed but long-recognized interpretation of the 14th Amendment, has given rise to what Trump considers abuse of the immigration system. Trump told "Axios on HBO" that the U.S. is the only country in the world "where a person comes in and has a baby, and the baby is essentially a citizen of the United States ... with all of those benefits."

Despite Trump's claim, the U.S. is not the only nation to have birthright citizenship, but the policy is rare outside of the Americas. Trump called birthright citizenship "ridiculous" and said that "it has to end."

Under current policy, anyone born in the U.S. – regardless of whether they are delivered by a non-citizen or undocumented immigrant – is considered a citizen. The interpretation has been blamed for so-called 'birth tourism' and chain migration.

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."

Trump, should he pursue the executive order, would face court challenges, and it remains unclear whether he could prevail. Many legal scholars would argue such a change requires a constitutional amendment. But some conservatives argue the existing amendment holds room for interpretation.