Fox News
Schumer's mentor pushed birthright citizenship crackdown. Now Moreno dares Democrats to reject it.
Jul 15, 2026, 12:59 PM
AI Summary
Birthright citizenship derives from the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868 to secure citizenship for freed slaves after the Civil War. Its key phrase, 'subject to the jurisdiction thereof,' has generated ongoing interpretation disputes, especially concerning children of non-citizens. The Supreme Court's 1898 ruling in United States v. Wong Kim Ark confirmed citizenship for children of legal residents but left questions about undocumented parents unresolved in statute. In 1993, Democratic Sen. Harry Reid sponsored legislation to exclude children of illegal immigrants from automatic citizenship, framing it as an immigration-control measure. Sen. Bernie Moreno now revives that approach, explicitly linking it to Reid's record and his mentorship of Sen. Schumer to underscore partisan inconsistency. Such proposals require Congress to clarify the amendment's scope, a step that would likely face judicial review and constitutional challenges. The issue intersects with broader immigration enforcement, state-federal relations, and electoral politics, as both parties have adjusted positions over decades amid fluctuating border flows and public opinion. Legislative success would hinge on defining jurisdiction more narrowly while navigating precedent and political divisions.
Key Claims
- Sen. Moreno is circulating a bill to redefine birthright citizenship and reduce immigration.
- The measure directly mirrors Harry Reid's 1993 legislative proposal.
- Moreno highlights Reid's mentorship of Sen. Schumer to challenge Democratic opposition.
- The bill seeks to override or limit Supreme Court interpretations of the 14th Amendment.
- Reid's earlier effort was presented as a tool to curb incentives for illegal immigration.
Context
- The 14th Amendment's citizenship clause was enacted primarily to protect freed slaves post-Civil War.
- Harry Reid later became Senate Majority Leader and mentored current Democratic leadership.
- Supreme Court precedent such as Wong Kim Ark (1898) shapes but does not fully settle the debate.
- Past attempts to limit birthright citizenship have crossed party lines but rarely advanced.
- Any statutory change would likely prompt immediate constitutional litigation and federalism questions.