Summary
Donald Trump signed an executive order to challenge birthright citizenship, targeting children of undocumented immigrants born in the U.S.
The order argues against the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship for those born on U.S. soil.
It bars federal agencies from recognizing birthright citizenship and imposes a 30-day waiting period for enforcement.
The order is expected to face significant legal challenges, with critics calling it unconstitutional.
Look, not to call you out or anything, but the impact of these edicts (however nonsensical) is radically different now that he’s in office.
The problem isn’t the legitimacy or legality of any such order, it’s the veracity and scope to which they are carried out regardless of those facts. He just pardoned the Jan 6th insurrectionists. Now, people that are handed off-the-wall, yet much more clear, orders from the White House can now go on thinking that illegal activity pursued in the name of said order will be washed away. So, stuff like this will cause damage to be done well before any courts can intervene, constitutionality be damned.
As a bonus, this adds culpability to the actions of his subordinates. Step in line or lose your job. Fail me after committing a crime and you go straight to prison. This is an organized crime tactic to keep shady people in line.
That’s the key. With these ECs and the pardons, Trump’s lackies are free to do whatever they want, using these as an excuse. If anything does happen to them, Trump made it clear he’ll pardon them. and if Trump is scrutinized, he’s got the SC on his side who just gave the president unlimited power. And if push comes to shove, he’ll just pardon himself.
There is literally nothing holding him accountable anymore. Nothing and no one.
I understand that. What I’m hoping is that the rest of the members of government will remember that Trump cannot do it without them. All an executive order really is, at it’s core, is direction for how federal agencies should conduct their business. None of it circumvents congress or the courts. Yes, I know, those two branches of government aren’t on our side either, but at the very least I expect them to be slimy enough to know when they have leverage and use it to their advantage - stall out or kill legislation before it has a chance to become anything more than just an executive order full of hot air if for no reason other than to extract concessions from Trump. It all adds up.
If the SCOTUS thinks it should, then it will. Which they will, since they are beholden to Donold.