President Trump recently gave an interview where he said he intends to pursue an executive order that would terminate the right to citizenship for babies of non-citizens and illegal immigrants born on U.S. ground.

Trump offered these comments to Axios while dismissing the legal challenges that would inevitably come from trying to undercut 14th Amendment birthright citizenship.

“It was always told to me that you needed a constitutional amendment. Guess what? You don’t,” Trump said. “We’re the only country in the world where a person comes in and has a baby, and the baby is essentially a citizen of the United States … with all of those benefits. It’s ridiculous. And it has to end.”

The 14th Amendment 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.”

Ending birthright citizenship would a considerable escalation of Trump’s hardline approach to immigration, which comes as the president rails against “chain migration” and the migrant caravan in Central America as the midterms approach.

“You can definitely do it with an Act of Congress,” said Trump, “but now they’re saying I can do it just with an executive order.”

Watch above, via Axios.

[Image via screengrab]

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