Catholic Bishops Ask SC: Stop Trump’s Axing of Birthright Citizenship

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court (SC), urging the justices to strike down President Donald Trump’s executive order dismantling the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of birthright citizenship, Matthew Chapman reported for Raw Story.

The USCCB implored the SC to reject this as a violation of the law and of human rights. (Photo: Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church) 

Trump’s order would require anyone born in the U.S. to have U.S. citizen parents to qualify for citizenship — a dramatic departure from the Constitution, which states that “All persons born or naturalized in the U.S., and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the U.S.”

Under Trump’s order, people born in the country to noncitizens would be ineligible for passports or other federal documents related to citizenship.

The USCCB implored the SC to reject this as a violation of the law and of human rights.

“As Catholics, amici are guided by the compassion of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” the bishops wrote.

“Our concern for our neighbors proceeds from God’s command to love others as He loved us (John 13:35).” The conference said it is saddened by the “climate of fear and anxiety” and the “vilification of immigrants” that is all too common in rhetoric concerning immigration policy.

It added: “Thankfully, obstacles and prejudices over past generations have not prevented those generations of immigrants from making enormous contributions to the development of our great nation. But to protect God-given human dignity, which is inherent in the judicial task of rendering just judgments, this Court should hold that the Executive Order is unconstitutional.”