A government watchdog organization, The Oversight Project, has released a multi-point plan aimed at addressing the implications of a recent Supreme Court ruling that affirmed birthright citizenship. The group's "Keeping Families Together Plan" calls for increased deportations of undocumented immigrants and enhanced enforcement measures, including a proposal for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence at hospitals to prevent what it terms "birth tourism."
Mike Howell, president of The Oversight Project, stated that the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision, which upheld birthright citizenship as established in federal law, creates an "explosion in birth tourism" and dilutes the integrity of U.S. citizenship. The plan argues that the ruling does not grant legal status to the parents of children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants, often referred to as "anchor babies."
Howell suggested that a focus on deporting parents of these children would, in most cases, lead to the child's deportation as well. He also proposed preventative measures, such as creating obstacles for pregnant foreign nationals seeking to give birth in the U.S. The plan specifically targets "birth tourism," identifying China as a primary source of the practice and advocating for a suspension of visas for countries engaging in such activities.
"Now that the illegal alien community has achieved weapons of mass reproduction… you need to turn off that multiplying effect," Howell said, emphasizing the need for worksite enforcement rather than focusing on individual cases in sanctuary cities. He contended that the current deportation numbers do not align with stated goals, suggesting a need for a more robust "Mass Deportation Coalition."
The plan also draws a parallel to the Supreme Court's upholding of the Affordable Care Act, proposing that a penalty on birth tourism could be framed as a "tax" to survive constitutional scrutiny, similar to how the ObamaCare mandate was initially upheld. Howell indicated that such measures would require political resolve to overcome criticism from liberal media and other opponents.
The White House responded to the ruling by stating President Trump's commitment to protecting "natural-born citizenship" and directing Congress to take action. The administration also pledged to intensify efforts to secure the border and deport undocumented immigrants. A spokesperson for the Department of Justice indicated a priority on prosecuting birth-tourism schemes.
Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Andy Ogles and Sens. Eric Schmitt and Rand Paul, have introduced proposals for a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's ruling, though their political feasibility is questioned. An unnamed Department of Homeland Security spokesperson expressed disagreement with the ruling and urged Congress to end birthright citizenship, while also stating that the Trump administration had deported over 948,000 undocumented immigrants as of June 24. In the first year of Trump's presidency, the administration claimed over 3 million undocumented immigrants left the U.S. due to its immigration policies.