Blackburn, Bredesen find common ground
Candidates say Trump’s plan is unconstitutional
With less than a week until the Nov. 6 general election, Republican U.S. Senate nominee Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Phil Bredesen have found common ground on at least one issue: that President Donald Trump’s plan to sign an executive order to end birthright citizenship would be unconstitutional.
Earlier this week, Trump said in an “Axios on HBO” interview that he wanted to sign an executive order, which would end citizenship for children of non-U.S. citizens who are born in the United States.
If Trump were to follow through with his plans, it is expected to be immediately challenged in court over its constitutionality.
After appearing at an event in Davidson County on Tuesday, Bredesen, who said he has “always been kind of a constitutionalist,” said he thought it was hard to read the U.S. Constitution and conclude that Trump can halt birthright citizenship.
“I just think what he’s proposing is clearly contrary to the Constitution,” the former governor said. “I think you’d have to really reach to try to find some
argument around it.”
When asked Wednesday if she thought an executive order halting birthright citizenship was constitutional, Blackburn said, “I don’t think so. I think the 14th Amendment is where it stands.”
The 14th Amendment, adopted in 1868, states: “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.”
Paul Ryan, other reject Trump birthright-citizenship claim
In addition to Blackburn and Bredesen, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has rejected Trump’s claim that he could end birthright citizenship via executive order.
Speaking to reporters in Nashville on Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker — who Blackburn and Bredesen are trying to replace — said it was not possible for the president to end end birthright citizenship.
“I do think we should look at the issue though,” he said. “I think there are some things we should look at in that regard and make sure we’re handling that issue in the right way, but you can’t change by executive order. It’s even debatable whether you can change it with legislation.”
On Tuesday, Bredesen said, given the timing of Trump’s remarks just days before the Nov. 6 election, that he thought it was “a little more midterms politics going on there.”
In a Tuesday statement, Blackburn said, “Our founding fathers did not intend for birthright tourism to be an appropriate pathway to American citizenship.”
Blackburn’s reference to “birthright tourism” is a commonly used phrase among critics of the nation’s immigration system.
On Wednesday, Blackburn reiterated that while she had not seen Trump’s proposed executive order, the issue of “birthright tourism” is something that deserves “a look.”
Speaking to reporters after early voting in Franklin, she pivoted to criticizing Bredesen over his remarks regarding the caravan of Central American migrants that has been moving north through Mexico.
Bredesen and Blackburn have found little common ground in terms of issues as they have campaigned for Tennessee’s open U.S. Senate seat. Polls have continued to show a tight race, although two recent surveys have given Blackburn a slight edge.
Early voting ends Thursday ahead of Tuesday’s election.
Natalie Allison contributed to this report.