Washington AG vows to sue federal government over baby citizenship right
San Francisco: Attorney General (AG) Bob Ferguson of Washington state has vowed to sue US President Donald Trump’s administration if Trump enforces a plan to revoke birthright citizenship of babies born to some non-citizens.
Ferguson said in a statement that he would bring a lawsuit against Trump if he follows through his intent to end the right to citizenship for the children of unauthorised immigrants born on US territory, Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.
“No matter how much he may want to appeal to the Alt-Right, President Trump can’t alter the Constitution through executive order. If he tries, we will immediately take him to court — and defeat him again,” Ferguson said.
In a TV interview with Axios on Monday, Trump said he planned to sign an executive order to remove the right to citizenship for babies on US soil.
“It was always told to me that you needed a constitutional amendment. Guess what? You don’t,” Trump said in the interview, declaring he can do it by executive order. Trump did not give any details about his plan or when he would sign the executive order.
Trump’s critics said the US President has no right to overturn the ruling of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution, which states that “All persons born or naturalised in the US, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the US and of the State wherein they reside.”
Ferguson’s office said the Washington AG has filed 32 lawsuits against the Trump administration and has not lost a case.
Ferguson has won 14 legal victories against the federal government, and eight of those cases are finished and cannot be appealed.
“The Trump Administration has or may appeal the other six, which include lawsuits involving Dreamers, 3D-printed guns and the transgender military ban,” Ferguson’s office said.
As an outspoken Democrat who often criticises Trump’s policy, Ferguson is viewed as a possible candidate for governor in 2020 elections in Washington state.