Voters in Pennsylvania and around the country will be heading to the polls on Nov. 6 to cast ballots in what many are calling the most important midterm election in decades, and politicians from both sides of the political aisle are turning to hot-button issues to whip up enthusiasm among their supporters as the crucial vote draws near. President Trump has often used his stance on immigration to separate himself from his political opponents, and his opinions on the matter became headline news once again on Oct. 30.
Journalists and analysts seized on the issue when comments Trump made in an interview scheduled to be aired just days before polls open were leaked to the press. Trump said in the interview that he was considering issuing an executive order that would end birthright citizenship in the United States. This would mean that children born to individuals who are living in the United States illegally would no longer automatically be granted U.S. citizenship.
Legal experts and senior politicians from both parties responded quickly to the president’s words. During an interview with a Kentucky radio station, House Speaker Paul Ryan said that only Congress could revise or repeal the 14th Amendment, which is the part of the Constitution that guarantees birthright citizenship. Ryan also said that any president who sought to circumvent this process by using their executive privileges would likely find themselves in a prolonged and contentious legal battle.
Attorneys with experience in immigration law cases could help those seeking a fresh start in America to ignore political rhetoric and focus instead on pursuing residency or citizenship in the United States. Attorneys may explain the various family and employment-based visas available, and they could also file asylum claims on behalf of individuals who would face violence or persecution if they were forced to return to their home countries.
