How the US Supreme Court’s ruling on Trump’s birthright citizenship plan gives him more power
Topics: Donald Trump, Immigration, US News, Politics
Joe Yates
Featured Image Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, Immigration, US News, Politics
President Donald Trump has just won one of his battles against immigration, as the US Supreme Court ruled in his administration's favor over its birthright citizenship plan.
After reclaiming the Oval Office in January, the 79-year-old was quick to sign dozens and dozens of executive orders; in fact, in his first 100 days, he signed a total of 143 - smashing the record of the most signed by any president in the same timescale.
One particular order controversially looked at ending birthright citizenship which in the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution stipulates 'all persons born or naturalised in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens'.
His executive order stated that US citizenship should not be afforded to children born in the country to parents who don't have permanent residency, such as illegal immigrations or those visiting the country on a tourist, student, or temporary work visa.
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However, it was blocked by three judges in Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington back in February - which, as of yesterday (June 27), has been overturned and could allow the POTUS to continue with his immigration policy.
So we're all clued up on exactly what the SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) ruled, I'll explain.
The court's conservative majority ruled that federal judges lack the authority to grant nationwide injunctions. However, it was left unclear whether President Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship could soon take effect in parts of the country.
It, in turn, lends Trump more power and future presidents more power by limiting the power of lower court federal judges to issue national injunctions.
It's the lower courts in the US that have clocked many of Trump's policies, including his decision to cut diversity programs, terminating government employees en masse, and as well as a number of other decisions the Republican has made.
Due to the ruling, Trump's administration is now in a much stronger position if they go to the courts asking for judges to allow their policies and push them forward.
"Well, I think taking power away from these absolutely crazy radical left judges is tremendous - this is such a big day, this is such a big day," Trump told reporters in The White House yesterday.
"It's like, it's sort of sad, because we're doing the signing at three o'clock, and you know this may very well dominate the signing of a big war that was going on and really affecting the continent.
"Think of it, the entire continent of Africa was being affected, and we're settled - we're settling that war today, and this will probably be a headline, but this is a very big moment."
He continued: "It gives power back to people that should have it, including Congress, including the presidency, and it only takes bad power away from judges. It takes bad power, sick power and unfair power, and it's really going to be a very monumental decision."