NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A resolution that commends President Donald Trump for wanting to end the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship has suffered defeat in Tennessee.
A state House panel voted 4-3 Wednesday to reject Republican Rep. Bruce Griffey’s resolution. Three Republicans and a Democrat voted against the resolution.
Griffey’s resolution claims birthright citizenship is illegitimate, unauthorized and illegal.
Democratic Rep. Bo Mitchell said “God help us” if lawmakers were to advance the resolution and tell people born in the U.S. that they aren’t citizens.
Republican Rep. Michael Curcio helped vote it down after saying that birthright citizenship is a “worthwhile debate,” but had problems with the resolution’s wording and said the discussion should happen at the federal level.
The ACLU of Tennessee and the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition opposed the resolution.