Trump says he will sign executive order banning birthright citizenship

President Trump said in a new interview released Tuesday that he will sign an executive order intended to end the practice of birthright citizenship.

“It was always told to me that you needed a constitutional amendment. Guess what? You don’t,” Trump said during an interview with Axios.

Axios reports that the White House is preparing an order that would declare an end to the longstanding staple of America’s immigration system. 

{mosads}That would set up a new battle for Trump at the Supreme Court over the 14th Amendment, which states that all persons “born or naturalized in the United States” are “citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

Trump in the interview with Axios insisted it was possible to make the change through an executive order in addition to an act of Congress.

“You can definitely do it with an act of Congress. But now they’re saying I can do it just with an executive order,” the president added, before stating incorrectly: “We’re the only country in the world where a person comes in and has a baby, and the baby is essentially a citizen of the United States … with all of those benefits.”

Canada also has birthright citizenship, as do most of the nations in South and Central America. The United States and Canada are two of the only developed countries in the West to have birthright citizenship, however. 

The full Trump interview is set to air Sunday on “Axios on HBO.”

Trump refers to the right of citizenship granted to anyone born within the country’s borders as “ridiculous” and expressed surprise that anyone outside of the Oval Office knew about the White House’s plans.

“It’s ridiculous. It’s ridiculous. And it has to end,” Trump told Axios, adding, “I didn’t think anybody knew that but me. I thought I was the only one.”

The president’s reported plan to end birthright citizenship comes amid some of his administration’s strongest rhetoric surrounding a caravan of thousands of Central American migrants bound for the U.S., where many members plan to apply for asylum.

Trump has been turning to his core issue of immigration as the midterm elections approach. The midterms will be a test for Trump, as Democrats are seen as the favorites to retake the House majority. Republicans are favored to keep their Senate majority. 

Trump has made controversial and derogative remarks about the migrant caravan, which is now in Mexico. He’s referred to it as an “invasion” of migrants “and some very bad people.”

“Please go back, you will not be admitted into the United States unless you go through the legal process. This is an invasion of our Country and our Military is waiting for you!” the president tweeted Monday.

Many Gang Members and some very bad people are mixed into the Caravan heading to our Southern Border. Please go back, you will not be admitted into the United States unless you go through the legal process. This is an invasion of our Country and our Military is waiting for you!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2018