PHOENIX — Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., argued Thursday that President Trump has no right to take away birthright citizenship through an executive order, and said granting citizenship to people born in the U.S. is part of “our American heritage.”
“The Constitution is very clear, and the president does not have the authority to change the right of individuals who are born on American soil to be declared American citizens,” Sinema said. “It’s part of our American heritage.”
“I think this is a distraction from the issues that voters are really concerned about,” she added.
When asked about a legislative push for a narrow change to birthright citizenship, as Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, suggested Wednesday, Sinema repeated that the “Constitution is very clear.”
Most Democrats have pushed back against the president’s call to end birthright citizenship, although some are open to changes. Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., said he was open to changing the policy, arguing that “we have to take a look” at the issue.
Sinema is pitted against Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., in a tight race to replace Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., in what represents one of the Democrats’ top chances to flip a seat in the upper chamber.
In an interview Wednesday, McSally declined to take a firm position on the birthright issue, or on possible legislation that Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is set to introduce to back the president’s push.
“My view is that he got elected in large part on border security and immigration, and he is continuing to highlight the brokenness of our system and the lack of the ability for us to enforce the law and strengthen the laws and enforce our border,” McSally said. “This is clearly being abused.”
“Look, I’m focusing on securing the border, closing these loopholes, making sure we fix the brokenness so it’s not abused,” she added. “I appreciate him highlighting the issue and in the next six days, I’m focusing on the issues that I have in my control.”
When asked to clarify her position, McSally reiterated that she appreciates Trump’s willingness to bring up the issue. She also said she would wait to say whether she would support legislation by Graham until his bill is released.
“I am not a constitutional scholar,” McSally said. “I appreciate him highlighting the issue, and I think most Americans realize that because of the insanity of our lack of border security and the loopholes in the our immigration system, this is being abused.”
“I didn’t see that, so I’d have to take a look at that,” McSally said of Graham’s legislation.
According to the latest RealClearPolitics average, Sinema leads McSally by less than a single point ahead of Tuesday.
