Why did Trump congratulate Xi Jinping after Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship? | World

US President Donald Trump sparked a new controversy on Tuesday after in a post on Truth Social sarcastically congratulated Chinese President China’s Xi Jinping following the US Supreme Court’s recent birthright citizenship decision. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote, “I would like to congratulate President Xi and the Great Country of China on their massive Birthright Citizenship WIN!”

The remark came after the recent US Supreme Court ruling to strike down his executive order, ending birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants born on US soil. The ruling dealt a major setback to one of Trump’s key immigration policies, with the Supreme Court holding that the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment grants automatic US citizenship to children born in the country, even if their parents are in the US illegally or temporarily.

Why did Trump congratulate Xi Jinping?

Trump’s reference to Xi Jinping was aimed at the landmark 1898 ruling United States v Wong Kim Ark. The ruling became the legal foundation of American citizenship under the 14th Amendment.

It involves Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco in 1873 to Chinese immigrant parents who were not US citizens. Upon returning from a foreign trip, he was denied re-entry into the country as US officials argued that he was not an American citizen due to his parents’ nationality.

Chief Justice John Roberts referenced the same case on June 30, stating that there was no justification for deviating from the established constitutional understanding. Trump’s message for Xi seemed to imply that people born in the US to Chinese parents have long benefited from the decision by applauding Xi.

Trump’s reaction to the hearing

Trump has argued against birthright citizenship many times during his campaign, claiming that it encourages illegal immigration. The American President called the decision “too bad for our Country”, and that he vowed to “make it up in Congress through Legislation, with the support of the President.”

On his first day back in office, he had signed an executive order seeking to deny automatic citizenship to babies born in the US. He argued that children born to non-citizen parents are not under the jurisdiction of the US and, as a result, are not entitled to birthright citizenship.

(Written by Bhavye Dhalla. He is an intern with IndiaTV Digital.)

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