What losing birthright citizenship will mean long term
This is a rare and modern occurrence. German citizenship was, until recently, only passed down
As the US Supreme Court debates birthright citizenship, Germany's experience should serve as a cautionary tale, highlighting the potential fallout of the restrictive citizenship policies favored by the Trump administration. Some effects would only be felt years down the line.
Advertisement
Ending birthright citizenship is a priority for President Trump, who issued an executive order banning the policy his first day in office. The
Advertisement
In Germany, the results of restrictive citizenship policies have compounded over decades, starting in the 1960s, when a labor agreement with Turkey brought thousands of migrant workers. The children of these workers were effectively barred from citizenship – even those born and raised in the country.
This restriction has pushed people of Turkish descent to the legal and social margins of both German and Turkish societies, even though they constitute Germany's largest ethnic minority – 3 million people representing 3.5 percent of the overall population, only half of whom have citizenship.
It has also led to another detrimental phenomenon: '
In response to social and institutional exclusion and discrimination, most migrants have developed a deeper ethnic consciousness and opted to cling to their ethnic identity. A
In the United States, the opposite is true: Pew Research finds that roughly 60 percent of second-generation immigrants
Advertisement
Germany has begun a slow process of overhauling its citizenship requirements, but it's unclear whether the recent reforms in citizenship law will be able to undo the repercussions of decades of restrictive policies.
In
It was only last year that Germany finally allowed people to hold multiple citizenships, eliminating the obligation to choose. The change is expected to prompt some
However, even having German citizenship does not protect descendants of immigrants from being permanently marked as 'outsiders.' They are officially labeled by German authorities as 'people with migration background,' a controversial category used to denote not only people who have immigrated to Germany themselves but also their German-born children. In 2023, almost 30 percent of Germany's overall population of 83.9 million
This is in contrast to the United States, where children of immigrants can decide how they identify in the census and are not forced to choose between identities. Thanks to birthright citizenship, they have no reason to consider themselves as anything other than American. In Germany, these children are 'outsiders,' both in their parents' country of origin and in the country of their birth.
Advertisement
Germany sets a cautionary example for the United States. If the Trump administration is intent on ending birthright citizenship, it would be advisable to keep the German example in mind. As put aptly by migration scholar
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
20 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Appeals court lets President Donald Trump keep control of National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES — An appeals court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump to keep control of National Guard troops he deployed to Los Angeles following protests over immigration raids. The decision halts a ruling from a lower court judge who found Trump acted illegally when he activated the soldiers over opposition from California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The deployment was the first by a president of a state National Guard without the governor's permission since 1965. In its decision, a three-judge panel on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously concluded it was likely Trump lawfully exercised his authority in federalizing control of the guard. It said that while presidents don't have unfettered power to seize control of a state's guard, the Trump administration had presented enough evidence to show it had a defensible rationale for doing so, citing violent acts by protesters. 'The undisputed facts demonstrate that before the deployment of the National Guard, protesters 'pinned down' several federal officers and threw 'concrete chunks, bottles of liquid, and other objects' at the officers. Protesters also damaged federal buildings and caused the closure of at least one federal building. And a federal van was attacked by protesters who smashed in the van's windows,' the court wrote. 'The federal government's interest in preventing incidents like these is significant.' It also found that even if the federal government failed to notify the governor of California before federalizing the National Guard as required by law, Newsom had no power to veto the president's order. Trump celebrated the decision on his Truth Social platform, calling it a 'BIG WIN.' He wrote that 'all over the United States, if our Cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done.' Newsom issued a statement that expressed disappointment that the court is allowing Trump to retain control of the Guard. But he also welcomed one aspect of the decision. 'The court rightly rejected Trump's claim that he can do whatever he wants with the National Guard and not have to explain himself to a court,' Newsom said. 'The President is not a king and is not above the law. We will press forward with our challenge to President Trump's authoritarian use of U.S. military soldiers against citizens.' The court case could have wider implications on the president's power to deploy soldiers within the United States after Trump directed immigration officials to prioritize deportations from other Democratic-run cities. Trump, a Republican, argued that the troops were necessary to restore order. Newsom, a Democrat, said the move inflamed tensions, usurped local authority and wasted resources. The protests have since appeared to be winding down. Two judges on the appeals panel were appointed by Trump during his first term. During oral arguments Tuesday, all three judges suggested that presidents have wide latitude under the federal law at issue and that courts should be reluctant to step in. The case started when Newsom sued to block Trump's command, and he won an early victory from U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco. Breyer found that Trump had overstepped his legal authority, which he said only allows presidents can take control during times of 'rebellion or danger of a rebellion.' 'The protests in Los Angeles fall far short of 'rebellion,'' wrote Breyer, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton and is brother to retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. The Trump administration, though, argued that courts can't second guess the president's decisions and quickly secured a temporary halt from the appeals court. The ruling means control of the California National Guard will stay in federal hands as the lawsuit continues to unfold.
Hamilton Spectator
26 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Pope Leo XIV flags AI impact on kids' intellectual and spiritual development
ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV warned Friday that artificial intelligence could negatively impact the intellectual, neurological and spiritual development of young people as he pressed one of the priorities of his young pontificate. History's first American pope sent a message to a conference of AI and ethics, part of which was taking place in the Vatican in a sign of the Holy See's concern for the new technologies and what they mean for humanity. In the message, Leo said any further development of AI must be evaluated according to the 'superior ethical criterion' of the need to safeguard the dignity of each human being while respecting the diversity of the world's population. He warned specifically that new generations are most at risk given they have never had such quick access to information. 'All of us, I am sure, are concerned for children and young people, and the possible consequences of the use of AI on their intellectual and neurological development,' he said in the message. 'Society's well-being depends upon their being given the ability to develop their God-given gifts and capabilities,' and not allow them to confuse mere access to data with intelligence. 'In the end, authentic wisdom has more to do with recognizing the true meaning of life, than with the availability of data,' he said. Leo, who was elected in May after the death of Pope Francis, has identified AI as one of the most critical matters facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labor. He has explained his concern for AI by invoking his namesake, Pope Leo XIII . That Leo was pope during the dawn of the Industrial Revolution and made the plight of workers, and the need to guarantee their rights and dignity, a key priority. Toward the end of his pontificate, Francis became increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it. Francis said politicians must take the lead in making sure AI remains human-centric, so that decisions about when to use weapons or even less-lethal tools always remain made by humans and not machines. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Wall Street Journal
27 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Oil Futures Diverge on U.S. Holiday Price Lag, Contract Expiration
Oil prices were mixed in European afternoon trade on Friday, with Brent crude down more than 2% to around $77 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate edging 0.7% higher to $74 a barrel. Brent futures fell after President Trump set a two-week deadline to decide whether the U.S. will strike Iran, easing fears of an imminent military intervention. The international oil benchmark had settled 2.8% higher on Thursday at $78.85, its highest close since January.
