Cuccinelli accidentally implies that politicians like Ted Cruz have no right to US citizenship

[babylonsister]

https://thinkprogress.org/cuccinelli-accidentally-implies-that-politicians-like-ted-cruz-have-no-right-to-us-citizenship-13f896291d76/


Cuccinelli accidentally implies that politicians like Ted Cruz have no right to US citizenship
Trump's immigration head tried to justify the Trump administration's new immigration policy -- but it backfired.
Josh Israel
Aug 13, 2019, 9:57 am


Ken Cuccinelli presented a very narrow view of who has a legitimate right to be a U.S. citizen on Tuesday, as he attempted to justify the administration’s new public charge rule for immigrants.

In the process, the acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) inadvertently suggested that even children born abroad to U.S. citizens, like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Trump’s own Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Robert Wilkie, should not be granted the “right to become an American.”

Cuccinelli, the xenophobic former Republican attorney general of Virginia, was interviewed on NPR’s Morning Edition and was asked to discuss the administration’s new public charge policy, which discriminates against legal immigrants deemed likely to need public assistance based on their health and monetary needs.

The acting USCIS chief told the host that immigration is a “privilege” for those “who can stand on their own two feet.”

“No one has a right to become an American who isn’t born here as an American,” he said.

[DetlefK]

1. What about the wifes of russian millionaires having anchor-babies in Florida?

Would these babies still be eligible for citizenship?

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. and chinese women doing same on the West coast. n/t

[dalton99a]

2. And Mark Meadows

Under Cuccinelli’s stated definition of who has a right to citizenship, a host of current elected and appointed officials are excluded.

Cruz, the junior senator from Texas, was born in Calgary, Canada, to a mother who was an American citizen. As a result, Cruz was eligible for both U.S. and Canadian citizenship (which he renounced in 2014). Cuccinelli previously endorsed Cruz for the presidency over Trump in the 2016 presidential primary.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie was also born abroad, in what was then West Germany, in Frankfurt, where his father was an artillery officer for the U.S. Army.

And there are plenty of others who fall under this same category: Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, to parents working overseas in the oil and gas industry. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) was born in army barracks in Verdun, France, where his parents were stationed. Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC) was similarly born in Landstuhl, in what was West Germany at the time, at an army hospital.

Several Democratic lawmakers were born abroad to U.S. citizens as well.

[sdfernando]

5. And, although most are not in goverment,

this would included many thousands of children of service members serving overseas.....including me and my brother. Both of us born in Munich.

If this continues and doesn't get stopped, I might find myself being deported to...where, Germany? since that is where I was born? Well, at least I'd have that evil socialized medical care.

[Hekate]

6. Only if Germany has birthright citizenship (they may; this is 2019). Otherwise, people end up....

...stateless. Stateless is a bad place to be.

The sheer insanity and inhumanity of the people Trump brings to him would gag a maggot. John McCain was born overseas (Panama) to a military family. Cruz -- who is at least alive to defend himself -- had an American parent, tho not military. Untold thousands of Americans have their birthright citizenship through their parents.

[procon]

3. My first thought was this was another one

of Trump's petty retaliation grievances directed at the legacy of John McCain who was born in Panama. There might be some dig at Obama too since Trump is still spouting his Birther crap.

[Shanti Mama]

4. And my adopted children...

what does Mr Cuccinelli make of all the kids who've been adopted? Shall we send them all back as not good enough to be American?

[Hekate]

7. Any chance at all we'll get a reprieve from media pearl-clutching over Biden's slips of the tongue

...and have a solid look at the kind of policies Trump's high officials are enacting and proposing?