From Staff Reports 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Sept. 25 “introduced a bill that would restrict one of the biggest magnets for illegal immigration into the United States,” according to a Sept. 25 press release from Graham’s office.

Graham’s Birthright Citizenship Act of 2024 is billed in the release as intended to stop the practice of granting citizenship to both the children of illegal immigrants and the children of non-immigrants in the U.S. on temporary visas.

“The exploitation of birthright citizenship is a major pull factor for illegal immigration and a weakness for our national security,” the release added. 

“The United States is one of only 33 countries in the world with no restrictions on birthright citizenship. In 2018, Senator Graham supported President Trump’s executive order eliminating birthright citizenship for children born to illegal immigrants on American soil.”

 The release then quoted Graham, who lives in Seneca, S.C., as saying the following:

“It is long overdue for the United States to change its policy on birthright citizenship because it is being abused in so many ways.

“One example is birth tourism, where wealthy individuals from China and other nations come to the United States simply to have a child who will be an American citizen. 

“When you look at the magnets that draw people to America, birthright citizenship is one of the largest. It is time for the United States to align itself with the rest of the world and restrict this practice once and for all.”

The release then asserted, “The Biden-Harris Administration’s catch-and-release policies let migrants come into the U.S. illegally and stay for years, while enjoying many of the benefits of living in America. Illegal immigration has skyrocketed under the Biden-Harris Administration.”

Further, the release stated, “In the last 3.5 years, there have been over 8.3 million encounters with illegal aliens at the southern border.

“Our adversaries are taking advantage of our laws.

“Recently, two individuals from California were found guilty in a ‘birth tourism’ scheme. Predominantly Chinese clients paid the operators of a ‘maternity hotel’ tens of thousands of dollars to come to the U.S. to give birth. Clients were coached on how to lie during the admissions process.

“A 2022 Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee report found a birthing company catering to the wives of Russian oligarchs, celebrities, athletes, and public figures.”

The release concluded by noting that the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2024 includes the following specifies on who can receive citizenship by virtue of their birth in the United States, including children born to at least one parent who is either:

• A citizen or national of the U.S.,

• A lawful permanent resident of the U.S., or

• An alien performing active service in the armed forces.

This bill only applies to children born after the date of enactment.