Congress needs to define the word "jurisdiction" as a result of the Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling, Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, told Newsmax on Wednesday.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a broad interpretation of birthright citizenship, rejecting President Donald Trump's executive order declaring that children born to people who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.
Appearing on Newsmax's "National Report," Self argued Congress should respond legislatively after the high court's decision by clarifying the meaning of the 14th Amendment's jurisdiction clause rather than immediately pursuing a constitutional amendment.
"I don't think we have to start with a constitutional amendment," Self said. "I think we ought to start with Congress defining the word jurisdiction, because that's the word that this all revolves around."
Self said Congress should pass legislation establishing a narrower definition of the term and allow the issue to return to the courts.
"I think we need to put that into a law, and then challenge people to go to the Supreme Court and say that we have defined jurisdiction and they don't like it," he said. "We need to make the attempt, and we need President Trump's support on that."
The congressman endorsed Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul's proposal to amend the Constitution to end birthright citizenship if necessary but maintained that Congress should first pursue legislation defining "jurisdiction."
"I think that's exactly what we ought to do," Self said. "Put that word 'jurisdiction' into a law, define it more narrowly than the Supreme Court has, and I think we will go a long way to overturning this disastrous decision."
Self said doing so would restore what he called the value and meaning of American citizenship.
He called birthright citizenship a "vital issue," warning that so-called birth tourism poses national security concerns.
"China alone has more than 1 million naturally born American citizens that we know of," Self said, referring to children born in the United States to Chinese nationals.
Self also dismissed criticism from liberal commentators who argued the Supreme Court should have unanimously rejected Trump's position.
"That's just gaslighting the American people," he said.
Instead, Self praised Justice Clarence Thomas' dissent, saying the justice correctly argued that the 14th Amendment was originally intended to guarantee citizenship to formerly enslaved people rather than people who enter the country illegally or temporarily.
"He reminded us that the 14th Amendment was solely to give citizenship to former enslaved people," Self said. "There is no way to read the text like this decision came out to."
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