Washington: A social media post by US President Donald Trump criticising birthright citizenship and targeting immigrants and advocacy groups has sparked backlash from Indian-American organisations and political leaders, who warned that the remarks could fuel racism and endanger communities.
In the post, Trump shared a lengthy commentary criticising birthright citizenship and targeting legal advocacy groups, immigrants, and sections of the Asian-American community. The text described the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) as “a gangster criminal organization” and alleged that it had “done more damage to this nation than Iran has ever done directly to this nation.”
The commentary also questioned the constitutional framework, stating: “Birthright citizenship should be subjected to a national vote, not put in the hands of lawyers. Let the citizens decide.”
It further included sweeping claims about immigration and demographics, asserting that “a baby here becomes an instant citizen, and then they bring the entire family in from China or India or some other hellhole on the planet.” The text also said: “White men need not apply to jobs in the state of California… You’re not getting a job at high-tech firms in California.”
The remarks drew immediate criticism from the Hindu American Foundation, which said it was “deeply disturbed” by the content. “We are deeply disturbed by @POTUS sharing this hateful, racist screed targeting Indian and Chinese Americans,” the group said in a statement.
It added that “endorsing such rants as the President of the United States will further stoke hatred and endanger our communities, at a time when xenophobia and racism are already at an all-time high.”
The organisation urged Trump “to reconsider, delete this post and recognise the indelible contributions of Asian Americans to our great country.”
Indian politician Priyanka Chaturvedi also weighed in, referring to the remarks during a public appearance. “As I was making my way here to the Hudson Institute, there were some very scathing remarks coming from President Trump, and I happened to read it on Truth Social,” she said.
At a Hudson Institute event, she added: “I’m hoping we can keep that aside in terms of calling India a hellhole, as well as sharing such comments.”
The original post also criticised the US legal system and Supreme Court deliberations, claiming: “We can’t leave it to a handful of lawyers to decide the future of our nation.” It argued that “the Constitution was written before air travel… before the internet,” questioning its applicability to modern immigration patterns.
Birthright citizenship, guaranteed under the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution, has long been a contentious political issue, particularly in debates over immigration reform. Legal scholars broadly interpret the amendment as granting citizenship to anyone born on US soil, regardless of parental status.
(IANS)
