- Oregon elected leaders condemned President Donald Trump on Aug. 6 for targeting birthright citizenship and "birth tourism."
- Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield joined a lawsuit against the order alongside Washington, Illinois, and Arizona.
- Approximately 4,000 babies in 2022 were born in Oregon to one or two parents who were not citizens, according to Oregon's lawsuit.
- Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion that "Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights to freely participate in our political community," and that the Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to 'every free-born person in this land.'
- Trump said on Aug. 6, according to USA Today, "We had a very unfortunate decision in the Supreme Court so we’re making adjustments."
- Senator Wyden criticized Trump's interpretation of the 14th Amendment, stating that for nearly 160 years, courts and common sense have viewed its plain language contrary to Trump's "unhinged and uninformed take," and he expects that long-settled view to prevail.
- U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle called the orders offensive and un-American, echoing Ben Franklin: "If you are willing to give up your liberty for temporary security, then you deserve neither liberty nor security."
- PCUN executive director Reyna Lopez said birthright citizenship is enshrined in the Constitution and affirmed by the Supreme Court, and that ending it won't make us safer but will inspire confusion and open the door to more attacks on our rights.
- Attorney General Rayfield said the Supreme Court has already weighed in on this issue and that President Trump just can't take no for an answer, adding that Oregonians deserve a government that treats the Constitution as the final word.
Oregon's elected officials have united against President Trump's recent executive orders aimed at birthright citizenship, which they claim threaten the rights of children born in the U.S.1
Attorney General Dan Rayfield has joined a lawsuit with counterparts from Washington, Illinois, and Arizona, emphasizing that these orders contradict the Constitution.2
“The Supreme Court has already weighed in on this issue. President Trump just can’t take no for an answer,” Rayfield stated, highlighting the ongoing legal battles surrounding citizenship rights.
In 2022, approximately 4,000 babies were born in Oregon to non-citizen parents, raising concerns about their citizenship status under Trump's directives.3
U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle criticized the orders as offensive and un-American, echoing Benjamin Franklin's warning about sacrificing liberty for security.7
“The President continues to overreach with his executive orders when the Constitution is clear,” Hoyle remarked, asserting that these actions are an attempt to undermine established rights.
Reyna Lopez, executive director of PCUN, stated, “Birthright citizenship is enshrined in our Constitution,” and warned that ending it would not enhance safety but rather create confusion and further attacks on rights.
The leaders' collective response underscores a commitment to uphold constitutional protections and advocate for meaningful immigration reform that values all individuals, regardless of their documentation status.
“Oregon's lawsuit cites about 4,000 babies born in 2022 to non-citizen parents, while Sen. Wyden calls Trump's interpretation an 'unhinged and uninformed take' on the 14th Amendment. Rep. Hoyle echoes Ben Franklin, warning against giving up liberty for temporary security.”
