How Donald Trump’s presidency will affect Nigerians

By Adeola Atanda

Nigerians and other nationals, who benefit from the American immigration policy and birthright citizenship laws, may have had the door slammed at their faces, as President Donald Trump on Monday signed sweeping executive orders aimed at reversing the situation.

Cornet News reports that Trump returned as America’s 47^th president on Monday, four years after he lost his re-election bid to immediate past President Joe Biden.

One of the executive orders President Trump signed into law following his inauguration is that seeking to end birthright citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants or those whose parents are on temporary visas. As per CBS, “the U.S. government has long interpreted the U.S. Constitution to mean that those born on American soil are citizens at birth, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.”

According to the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, “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.”

In contradiction to this, President Trump reportedly directed federal agencies to stop issuing passports, citizenship certificates and other documents to children born in the U.S. to mothers in the country illegally and fathers who are not citizens or legal permanent residents, or to mothers who are temporary visa holders (and fathers who are not citizens or legal permanent residents). He stated that his edict would not apply retroactively and should become enforceable in 30 days.

In their response to Trump’s edict, the American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit challenging the action in federal court.