Fact Check: "Only once before has the government attempted to strip birthright citizenship."
What We Know
The claim that "only once before has the government attempted to strip birthright citizenship" is misleading. Birthright citizenship in the United States is primarily governed by the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, which states that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States" (source-1). This principle has been upheld for over a century, including a landmark Supreme Court case in 1898, United States v. Wong Kim Ark, which affirmed that children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents are citizens (source-3).
In recent years, however, there have been multiple attempts to challenge or alter the interpretation of birthright citizenship. For instance, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20, 2025, aimed at ending automatic citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants, which prompted numerous legal challenges from various states and advocacy groups (source-2). The Supreme Court's recent ruling allowed this executive order to proceed, although the broader constitutional implications remain contested (source-1).
Analysis
The assertion that there has only been one attempt to strip birthright citizenship overlooks the historical context and the ongoing legal battles surrounding this issue. While it is true that the 14th Amendment has been a cornerstone of birthright citizenship, the current political climate has seen multiple initiatives aimed at redefining or restricting this principle. The Trump administration's executive order is not an isolated incident; it is part of a broader trend of legal challenges to immigration policies and citizenship rights (source-2).
Furthermore, the claim fails to acknowledge the significance of the Supreme Court's ruling on nationwide injunctions, which has implications for how executive actions can be challenged in court. The ruling indicates a shift in judicial interpretation that could affect future attempts to alter citizenship laws (source-1). Legal experts suggest that the current administration's efforts to redefine birthright citizenship could face significant constitutional challenges, as the 14th Amendment's protections have been consistently upheld in legal precedent (source-3).
Conclusion
Verdict: False
The claim that "only once before has the government attempted to strip birthright citizenship" is false. There have been multiple attempts to challenge the principle of birthright citizenship, particularly in recent years, and the ongoing legal battles indicate that this issue remains contentious. The historical context and the recent actions taken by the Trump administration highlight that the struggle over birthright citizenship is not limited to a single instance.
