Senator Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, announced his intention to reintroduce legislation originally proposed by former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., that would clarify and potentially alter the rules surrounding birthright citizenship. Moreno plans to introduce the identical bill upon Congress's return from recess on July 13.
The proposal, known as the Immigration Stabilization Act of 1993, would have revoked birthright citizenship for children born to parents who are not lawful residents of the United States. According to PolitiFact, Section 1001 of Reid's bill, titled "Basis of Citizenship Clarified," stated that children born on U.S. soil to undocumented immigrants should not automatically be granted U.S. citizenship.
Reid's office at the time described the bill's intent as clarifying "that a person born in the United States to an alien mother who is not a lawful resident is not a U.S. citizen." The measure aimed to remove the incentive for undocumented immigrants to travel to the U.S. late in their pregnancies with the sole purpose of giving birth on American soil. However, the 1993 bill never advanced out of committee.
Moreno stated that his reintroduction of the bill is intended to highlight the differences between the Democratic party of 1993 and its current iteration. He also urged Republican colleagues to consider eliminating the filibuster to ensure such legislation can pass.
"What it's going to do is highlight two things — the Democrats of today are nothing like the Democrats of 1993," Moreno said. "And, if they choose to reject a bill sponsored by their majority leader that they named an airport in Las Vegas after, then I think to my Republican colleagues have no choice. We have to recognize that these Democrats want to systematically destroy this country."
Moreno referenced remarks by Justice Kavanaugh suggesting that Congress could clarify the meaning of citizenship through legislation. "We can do that through an act of Congress," Moreno stated.