HUDSON — A group of Columbia County supervisors have joined other local governments and officials supporting an injunction blocking President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship.
Trump issued an executive order ending birthright citizenship, which is protected by the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, during his first day in office Jan. 20.
The executive order claims the 14th Amendment does not extend to individuals born to parents who are not citizens of the United States or permanent residents, or when parents were lawfully in the country on temporary visas.
Members of the Columbia County Board of Supervisors, including Hudson 3rd Ward Supervisor Michael Chamiedes, Hillsdale Town Supervisor Dennis Michael Dvorchak, New Lebanon Town Supervisor Tistrya Houghtling and Canaan Town Supervisor Brenda Adams, joined a legal motion started by the Public Rights Project, a California-based legal nonprofit organization, which filed the case in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts.
The motion asks for the court to block Trump’s executive order, arguing that it is unconstitutional and against American values. The county supervisors were some of the 100 local government officials who added their names to the motion, according to a press release.
“I think that this is such a foundation of America, that if you’re born here, you’re a citizen,” Chameides said. “So many of us had ancestors who were immigrants, and it seems wrong to make people prove their citizenship and where they’re from.”
Birthright citizenship is a basic human right, Adams said.
“It’s a cornerstone of our country’s immigration policies,” she said.
The executive order was initially blocked Jan. 24 by a U.S. District judge in Washington state, who granted a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from enforcing or executing the order for two weeks. The order was set to expire Thursday.
Another U.S. District judge in Maryland allowed Wednesday for a nationwide injunction on the executive order until issues with the facts of the case are resolved.
Dvorchak said birthright citizenship is a basic tenant of the U.S. Constitution.
“I think it’s important we make a stand against these very scary executive orders being passed through the government every day,” he said.
Ending birthright citizenship could impact farms in the county, Dvorchak said.
“I know that a lot of our farms rely on this labor,” he said. “The farming season is coming up. It’s unclear what the detrimental effect is going to be. They make our farming communities, our farmers markets and fresh produce possible. I just wanted to join our supervisors in making any statement we can.”
Most Americans have ancestors who were immigrants, Chameides said.
“I think that this is such a foundation of America, that if you’re born here you’re a citizen,” he said. “So many of us had ancestors who were immigrants, and it seems [something] to make people prove their citizenship and where they’re from.”
The attempt to end birthright citizenship will be “disruptive” to people when they attempt to interact with society, Chameides said.
“These actions push people into the shadows,” he said. “Ending birthright citizenship makes it harder for people to get jobs or go to school, and forces people to live shadow lives. That’s not good for us, I want our neighbors to participate as much as they can, and I think that’s what everyone wants.”
Ending birthright citizenship would impact Hudson and it will also trickle down to impact other individuals, such as hospital workers or government workers, Chameides said.
“It’s going to affect Hudson because we have immigrants, but it’s going to impact other people who will get wrapped up in this divisiveness,” he said.
The attempt to end birthright citizenship shows a contrast between what the public is focused on, and what the federal government is focused on, Chameides said.
He added that individuals are struggling with affordable housing or being able to find a job or workers, and the government is focused on birthright citizenship, which will not help struggling individuals, Chameides added.
“It’s not going to help,” he said. “The problems we face are clear and this attack on birthright citizenship is taking us in the wrong direction.”
