Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, the son of immigrants from China and Taiwan, views President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship as a personal attack on his own heritage and American identity. As the first Asian American elected to statewide office in Connecticut, he is prepared to sue Trump’s administration over the issue if necessary. Tong is part of a group of Democratic state attorneys general who are likely to oppose Trump on various policies, including immigration. Legal scholars overwhelmingly agree that birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, and challenges to this right are unlikely to succeed in court. Trump’s proposal to restrict birthright citizenship to children with at least one parent who is a citizen or legal resident faces strong opposition from advocates like Tong and the ACLU. Conservatives who argue that immigration is akin to invasion are pushing the idea that birthright citizenship may not apply to the children of undocumented immigrants. However, Tong believes that any attempt to limit birthright citizenship would fundamentally undermine American values and the constitutional foundation of the 14th Amendment. He emphasizes that immigrants have contributed to American society and deserve the protection and rights guaranteed by the law.
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This Attorney General has a personal stake in opposing Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship
