Debate Over Birthright Citizenship Intensifies in New Jersey Governor Race
New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli has taken a firm stance against birthright citizenship, a policy that his own family once benefited from.
The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1868, has traditionally been interpreted to grant citizenship to any child born on U.S. soil, irrespective of their parents’ nationality. This interpretation is now under scrutiny due to an executive order from former President Donald Trump. Trump contends that the amendment was initially intended solely for the children of newly emancipated slaves.
The Supreme Court is currently reviewing this executive order, and a potential ruling against birthright citizenship could result in significant policy changes, potentially affecting 11 million individuals born and raised in America who may face the risk of deportation.
During a campaign event, Ciattarelli questioned the current interpretation of the amendment, stating, “Do I believe that someone should be able to just cross the border, give birth and have that baby be an American citizen? I don’t. That’s not what the intent was of the 14th Amendment.”
Historical records, including military and census data, reveal that Ciattarelli’s grandfather, Antonio, had two children in the U.S. before he became a naturalized citizen. Antonio’s World War I draft registration card from 1917 or 1918 indicates that he had not yet completed the citizenship process at that time. The card also confirms he had two children, which aligns with the 1920 census record stating that his children, born in 1914 and 1915, were documented as citizens.
By the 1930 census, Antonio had achieved naturalization, and Ciattarelli’s father, Anthony, had been born. However, the exact timing of Anthony’s birth relative to Antonio’s naturalization remains unclear.
Ciattarelli’s opponent, Democrat Mikie Sherrill, supports the Born in the USA Act, a legislative effort to counteract Trump’s executive order and preserve birthright citizenship.
The post Ciattarelli wants to end the immigration policy that made his family American appeared first on American Journal News.
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