U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) chaired a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution hearing titled “Protecting American Citizenship: Birthright Citizenship for Illegal Aliens and Tourists” in Washington, D.C., on Mar. 11. The hearing focused on what Schmitt described as systemic abuse of birthright citizenship by illegal immigrants and so-called “birth tourists,” which he said contradicts the original intent of the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause.
The topic is significant because it addresses ongoing debates about immigration policy and the definition of American citizenship. Schmitt said these issues have shaped both immigration law and public perception for decades.
“For years, the American people have been told that the Constitution requires the United States to grant citizenship to almost anyone born here, without any regard for such key questions like whether or not the parents were in the country legally in the first place. That claim has shaped our immigration system and our politics for decades. It has also reshaped how many people think about what it means to be an American. But if you actually read the Constitution, examine the ratification debates, and research the common law, that claim is far from obvious. This debate is not just about immigration policy, it’s about the meaning of American citizenship. Citizenship is not just paperwork issued by the government. It’s not a bureaucratic label. Citizenship is the essential bond between a nation and its people. In a republic like ours, that bond carries enormous weight. Because in the United States, sovereignty doesn’t belong to a king or ruling class. It belongs [to] the American people themselves. Citizenship defines the legal recognition of who the American people are. Citizenship defines the political community that governs the United States. It defines who exercises the sovereign authority of this republic. For most of our history, Americans understood citizenship in straightforward terms. It reflected allegiance to the United States. It meant loyal to this country and attachment to its institutions. It meant belonging to the American nation. But over the past several decades, that understanding has steadily been pushed aside,” said Senator Schmitt during his opening remarks.
During questioning at the hearing, Schmitt addressed witnesses regarding alleged abuses of birthright citizenship under current interpretations of constitutional law and raised concerns about foreign governments using migration as a tool against U.S sovereignty.
Schmitt previously led an amicus brief before an upcoming Supreme Court case concerning President Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship, arguing that limiting automatic citizenship would restore what he called “the original public understanding” of who qualifies under constitutional provisions.
Schmitt provides legislative representation for Missouri as a U.S senator confirmed through official appointment according to his official website. He serves on key Senate committees including Armed Services and Commerce, Science and Transportation according to his official website. His offices operate statewide in Missouri cities such as Columbia, Springfield, Kansas City and Cape Girardeau as well as in Washington D.C., according to his official website.
The broader implications of this hearing may influence future legislative discussions around immigration reform and interpretations of constitutional rights related to citizenship.
