Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway’s husband disagrees with her stance on President Trump’s proposal to end birthright citizenship with an executive order, saying it is “unconstitutional.”
George Conway, an attorney, said in a Tuesday Washington Post editorial that Trump’s idea to end birthright citizenship would be challenged and defeated.
“Sometimes the Constitution’s text is plain as day and bars what politicians seek to do,” Conway said in the opinion piece. “That’s the case with President Trump’s proposal to end ‘birthright citizenship’ through an executive order. Such a move would be unconstitutional and would certainly be challenged. And the challengers would undoubtedly win.”
He also noted that the drafters of the 14th Amendment clearly stated that those born in the U.S. were citizens.
“The drafters were motivated by their utter revulsion toward slavery and a system that relegated people to subordinate political status because of their birth,” wrote Conway. “They weren’t thinking of, or concerned with, any exceptions to birthright citizenship other than the absolutely essential.”
[Opinion: Ending birthright citizenship would be as unconstitutional as it is unproductive]
Conway’s perspective directly challenges his wife’s expressed opinion early on Tuesday.
Kellyanne Conway defended Trump’s proposal, claiming that constitutional scholars believe that the 14th Amendment has been misinterpreted.
“There are constitutional scholars who say the 14th Amendment has been misinterpreted,” she said, saying that the Supreme Court “has never gave a solid opinion on this.”
At WH, @KellyannePolls defends @POTUS intention to use Executive Order to end birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants. “There are Constitutional scholars who say the 14th Amendment has been misinterpreted.” Says SCOTUS “has never gave a solid opinion on this.” pic.twitter.com/0nF53prf8w
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) October 30, 2018
