Indians May Join Wider Coalition Against Trump’s Order Against Birthright Citizenship

Hyderabad: Indian communities in the United States are organising legal support and awareness campaigns for co-expatriates over the Donald Trump administration’s decision to limit the birthright citizenship only to children whose at least one parent is an American citizen or a Greencard holder.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Sunil Reddy from Arlington said, “We work hard and contribute tirelessly to the US, but now our children’s futures are at risk. This is an attack on our fundamental rights.”

Two days ago, the Trump administration urged the US Supreme Court to uphold the executive order limiting birthright citizenship for children born in the US to parents, of whom at least one is an American citizen or a Greencard holder.

Previously, any child who was born in the United States, even to those parents who have been staying illegally in the country — was considered an American citizen — a Constitutional right in place for over 150 years.

However, Trump sought to deny this right to children of parents who are in the country illegally or temporarily through an executive order that he signed on the first day of his second term. But the lower courts blocked the order nationwide, which the US administration challenged in the US Supreme Court.

The US Supreme Court is expected to decide the case by early summer, around late May to early June next year. If the verdict upholds Trump’s order, it will annul the US citizenship of thousands of Indian children born on US soil — a prospect that has caused widespread anxiety among Indian-American families.

If the children are denied US citizenship, they cannot no longer state benefits such as in-state tuition and federal aid. Though no Indian family has filed a case against the executive order, advocacy groups have been actively working to protect birthright citizenship, a vital pillar for many Indians in their American experience.

The Indian-American advocacy group United Voices of Indian Immigrants (UVII), based in Arlington, has strongly condemned the order, calling it unconstitutional and discriminatory. UVII is joining broader coalitions to legally challenge the policy.

1. Roughly 510,000 Indian H-1B visa holders reside in the U.S.(70 % of H-1B Visa Holders)

2. With 5,50,000 dependents, including spouses and children, the figure exceeds 1 million individuals.