Letter to the Editor: Defend the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Naomi Ludman of Dowagiac argues President Donald Trump’s executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship is “cruel and unconstitutional.”
To the Editor:
The first sentence of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution says, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.”
Donald Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship is a cruel and unconstitutional assault on our democracy. Yet our elected officials in Washington have yet to issue a formal statement against it. Senators Peters and Slotkin along with Representative Tim Walberg have a responsibility to uphold their oath of office and take a stand against President Trump’s executive order. Failing to do so is not only a betrayal of the 14th Amendment and the fundamental rights it guarantees to every child born in this country, but also a direct attack on our Constitution.
This is a moment that demands courage and clarity — not complacency and political games. Continued silence from our elected representatives is instilling new fear in people across this country who have spent their whole lives calling this country home. We need leaders at every level of government, as well as community and civic leaders, who will defend the Constitution and stand up for newborns and immigrant families who are being targeted by this un-American policy. We need leaders who will stand up against injustice and fight for equality.
Naomi Ludman
Dowagiac
Any views or opinions expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Watershed Voice staff or its board of directors.
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