The first sentence of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says: “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.”
President Donald Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship is a cruel and unconstitutional assault on our democracy. Yet, Congressman Tom Barrett has refused to take a stand against it. His and the Republicans’ silence is not only a betrayal of the 14th Amendment and the fundamental rights it guarantees to every child born in this country, but a direct attack on our Constitution, the same one he just swore to ‘support and defend the Constitution of the United States.’
This is a moment that demands courage and clarity – not complacency and political games. This echoing silence of Congressman Tom Barrett is instilling a new fear in people across this country who have spent their whole lives calling this country home.
We need answers. Will Congressman Tom Barrett defend the Constitution, or will he stand by as newborns and immigrant families are targeted by this un-American policy? In this critical moment, our community deserves leaders who will stand up against injustice and fight for equality.
Peggy Van Sickle
Brighton
