Earlier this week, President Donald Trump publicly stated that he plans to move forward with signing an executive order that nulls the birthright citizenship for children of non-American citizens. For many, Trump’s announcement wrought a myriad of stressors connected to the uncertainty of not knowing if their safety and undocumented status will be absolutely compromised. In addition, naturalized citizens have expressed concern about their birthright citizenship and the potential consequences of revocation. Considering that immigration has been a highly disputed political issue, this potential executive order has rekindled uproar, especially since the U.S. has been the only country in the world to grant birthright and naturalized citizenship. And, if passed, the probable challenges may heavily uproot major upheaval and disdain of disregarding the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment: “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.” As this issue continues to evolve and impact the lives of many, brothers of Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc., have also felt the stressors and fear of how the legal and personal implications of this proposed executive order may impact their psychosociocultural environments.
“I immediately thought of my friends, family, brothers, and peers who are undocumented and live in constant fear. They’re the ones who never traveled out of our small town due to border patrol checkpoints all while I left to graduate school across the country. They’re the ones who strive to attend higher education, paying out of pocket, while I receive aid. They don’t deserve to get kicked out; they deserve to get a helping hand” (Alejandro Maciel, SP15, Delta Gamma, California).
“When I heard Trump’s announcement, I felt that he was trying to divide the population between “us and them,” once again, with complete disregard to the well-being and humanity of immigrants. It is a blatantly racist because as he’ s [Trump] stated in the past he does not want people from other countries” (Orlando Sanchez, FA 17 Alpha Rho, Pennsylvania).
“My Initial reaction was disgust about such a fear mongering proposition; this is in response to a group of people who are seeking asylum, trying to escape the violence and poverty that has engulfed their country. However, it has also empowered me to keep giving those people a voice through advocacy and my right to vote and encourage others to do the same. Tyranny will not be tolerated” (Armando Villanueva, SP09, Gamma Nu, Missouri).
“It is troubling to think that a President would suggest that he can override the U.S. Constitution. I was disappointed to know that those same folks who are extremely vocal about our 2nd Amendment, and the importance of adhering to the U.S. Constitution, were not standing up for the 14th Amendment. Thus, I believe birthright citizenship is what makes the U.S. special and part of who we are as a nation” (Jesus Del Toro, FA15, Gamma Theta, Wisconsin).
“I was initially shocked, but not worried because it would take more than an executive action to change the current status. I also believe he has no real intention of doing anything since he just wants to focus this upcoming election on immigration, rather than health care or the economy” (Samuel D’Amico, SP14, Idaho State Associate Chapter, Idaho).
“It’s appealing that this President is so comfortable spreading fallacies about the powers of the presidency, but he cannot end birthright citizenship through an executive order, yet it is so easy for him to say he can to rally his supporters. It just shows that we have to remain vigilant and critical to get through his presidency” (Markus Cantu-Olivares, SP05, Alpha Theta, Texas).
If you have any questions or concerns regarding social justice issues affecting our fraternity, please do not hesitate to contact the National Director of Social Justice Initiatives Steve R. Pereira, , at your earliest convenience.