Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said Thursday that the concept of granting birthright citizenship is “worthy of looking at,” but was adamant that President Trump cannot change it via executive order as he has suggested.
“I think it’s worthy of looking at it. I think the president needs to say what he intends to do,” Manchin said during a West Virginia Senate debate.
“I think there’s a lot can be done, and a lot can be controlled, but he cannot do it by an executive order,” the senator added, arguing the president can’t unilaterally change the Constitution.
{mosads}Manchin’s opponent, Republican Patrick Morrisey, said Trump is “right to look at the birthright lottery,” but added he would want to see the president’s executive order to ensure it’s being handled the right way.
Manchin, who is up for reelection in a state Trump won easily in 2016, joined Sen. Joe Donnelly (Ind.), another vulnerable Democrat, in appearing open to the idea of ending birthright citizenship.
In an interview with Axios published Tuesday, Trump vowed to end citizenship for children of nonlegal residents born in the U.S., a change he proposed during the 2016 campaign.
He did not indicate when he would sign such an order, but the concept is one of many he has floated in the closing days of the campaign regarding immigration.
A number of lawmakers, including Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) promptly refuted Trump’s assertion that he can end birthright citizenship via executive order since it is enshrined under the 14th Amendment.
“Well, you obviously cannot do that. You cannot end birthright citizenship with an executive order,” Ryan told WVLK radio in Lexington, Ky.
Trump responded to the criticism on Wednesday, saying birthright citizenship would be ended “one way or another” and attacking Ryan.