Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Trump Press Secretary Gets Epically Fact-Checked After Bonkers Claim About Birthright Citizenship

Screenshot of Karoline Leavitt
Fox News

White House Press Sec. Karoline Leavitt got an instant fact-check after claiming that birthright citizenship, which is outlined in the 14th Amendment, is "unconstitutional."

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was instantly fact-checked after claiming very, very wrongly that birthright citizenship is "unconstitutional."

Birthright citizenship is a legal concept that grants citizenship automatically at birth. It exists in two forms: ancestry-based citizenship and birthplace-based citizenship. The latter, known as jus soli, a Latin term meaning "right of the soil," grants citizenship based on the location of birth.


In the United States, birthright citizenship is enshrined in the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which declares that "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."

Currently, 33 countries worldwide (along with two territories) offer unrestricted birthright citizenship. This list includes nations such as Argentina, Canada, Jamaica, and Mexico.

Leavitt's remarks came amidst the backdrop of President Donald Trump's recent executive order eliminating it, challenging a century of precedent. However, the order—unconstitutional that it is—has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge after 22 states filed suit.

When asked during her first White House press briefing about opposition to the executive order, she said:

"[Others have] the right to that legal opinion but it is in disagreement with the legal opinion of this administration. This administration believes that birthright citizenship is unconstitutional."
You can hear what she said in the video below.

She was wrong—oh, so wrong—and the fact-check came almost immediately.



A constitutional amendment carries more weight than an executive order in the U.S. system of government, but Trump’s stance reflects a longstanding belief that steps should be taken to prevent the children of undocumented immigrants from claiming U.S. citizenship. Of course, he doesn't seem to have minded it when it enabled his father to claim citizenship as a result of having been born here.

CNN previously reported that Trump’s new administration might stop issuing passports to these children, potentially setting the stage for a legal battle over the issue.

Additionally, Trump’s team may increase the use of “expedited removal” for undocumented immigrants nationwide without court hearings, potentially challenging another clause of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law to every person.

More from News/political-news

Harriet Tubman
Library of Congress/Getty Images

National Parks Website Restores Harriet Tubman Photo To 'Underground Railroad' Page After Backlash

Following significant backlash, the National Park Service restored a previously-erased photo of Harriet Tubman from a webpage dedicated to the history of the Underground Railroad, in which she led 13 missions to rescue enslaved people.

A spokesperson said the changes were not authorized by the agency's leadership.

Keep ReadingShow less
screenshot from Fox News of Jackie DeAngelis and Tommy Tuberville
Fox News

Tuberville Now Claims 'Entire Men's Teams' Are 'Turning Trans' To Play Against Women

Alabama Republican Senator Tommy "Coach" Tuberville appeared on Fox News Sunday to again spread unhinged misinformation about transgender athletes.

Speaking with guest host Jackie DeAngelis, Tuberville stated:

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot from Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver/YouTube

John Oliver Epically Calls Out Awkward Truth Behind Former NCAA Swimmer's Anti-Trans Tirades

On Sunday's episode of Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, the outspoken host devoted the entire program to the attack on trans girls and women who play sports by the GOP.

Oliver began the program saying:

Keep ReadingShow less
man in front of computer code
Chris Yang on Unsplash

Conspiracy Theories That Seem Believable The More You Look Into Them

We tend to think of conspiracy theories as a phenomenon of the digital age. But the internet and mobile devices only allow them to be created and spread faster.

Conspiracy theories have likely been around as long as human civilization has. They are, at their root, just another form of rumors and gossip.

Keep ReadingShow less
People protesting, one protestor holding a sign that reads, 'Enough'
Photo by Liam Edwards on Unsplash

People Explain The Pettiest Reasons They Boycott A Specific Brand

No matter how many complaints we file or phone calls we make, some businesses refuse to catch a hint about their bad practices until we hit it where it hurts the most: their bottom line.

While some people will give a business every possible chance before refusing to be a customer anymore, others will boycott over the most petty reasons in existence.

Keep ReadingShow less