Trump’s Call to End Birthright Citizenship Raises a Lot of Legal Questions

Even among Republicans.

Donald Trump speaks along the southern border.

Donald Trump said he would try to end birthright citizenship through executive action. Evan Vucci/AP

Donald Trump is bringing back an abandoned idea from his first term: ending birthright citizenship. Republicans in Congress aren’t sure he can do it.

“Birthright citizenship is absurd the way we’ve applied it,” Sen. Ron Johnson said. “I don’t think many people think that can be ended by executive action, though, unfortunately.”

Trump said he plans to end birthright citizenship on day one, in an interview with NBC News. But he himself alluded to some legal challenges. He said he’d end it through executive action “if we can” but also that it might “have to go back to the people.”