Senator Schmitt Calls for Citizenship Illegally Obtained by Foreign Diplomats’ Children to be Revoked

Urges Trump Admin to Investigate Illegal Grants of Birthright Citizenship, Close Loophole Allowing Diplomats’ Children to Gain Citizenship Documents U.S. SENATE — Today, U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin requesting they investigate the extent of illegal grants of citizenship documentation to foreign diplomats’ children, implement policies and procedures to prevent it from occurring in the future, identify the individuals who have illegally procured citizenship documentation in this manner, and revoke those individuals’ illegally procured citizenship documentation. “I write regarding foreign diplomats improperly claiming birthright citizenship for their children born in the United States during their diplomatic missions. Neither the Constitution nor federal statutory law grants foreign diplomats’ children birthright citizenship. Yet public reporting indicates that potentially thousands of foreign diplomats’ children have been given citizenship documentation. Foreign diplomats’ children using improperly procured citizenship documentation to illegally claim citizenship degrades the meaning of American citizenship, undermines our sovereignty, and threatens our national security.” “I therefore urge both of your agencies to take immediate action to investigate the extent of illegal grants of citizenship documentation to foreign diplomats’ children, implement policies and procedures to prevent it from occurring in the future, identify the individuals who have illegally procured citizenship documentation in this manner, and revoke those individuals’ illegally procured citizenship documentation.” “The Fourteenth Amendment confers American citizenship upon persons born in the United States while ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof.’ For more than a century, statutory law, judicial precedent, and executive-branch policy have recognized that foreign diplomats’ children born in the United States are not ‘subject to [its] jurisdiction’ and therefore do not acquire citizenship at birth. Indeed, even though the majority in Trump v. Barbara wrongfully expanded birthright citizenship to cover the children of illegal aliens and temporarily present aliens, it too recognized that the children of diplomats do not acquire birthright citizenship,” wrote Senator Schmitt. Read the full letter HERE. Background: Following the Supreme Court’s decision extending birthright citizenship to the children of illegal aliens and temporarily present aliens, Schmitt introduced a bill to restore the original understanding of the scope of birthright citizenship from the time of the Fourteenth Amendment. Under the bill and the original understanding of the Fourteenth Amendment, the children of illegal aliens and temporarily present aliens, such as “birth tourists,” would not be granted birthright citizenship. Schmitt also announced he will be introducing a constitutional amendment to rein in birthright citizenship and put Americans first by restoring the meaning and integrity of American citizenship. Schmitt led an amicus brief in support of President Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order defending the original meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Schmitt has led several hearings on the importance of protecting American citizenship. In March , Schmitt highlighted the threat of birth tourism, and his recent hearings examined denaturalizations and restoring pride in American citizenship. ###