CHICAGO (October 30, 2018)--Following is a statement from Lawrence Benito, Executive Director of the Illinois Coalition for Refugee and Immigrant Rights, in response to President Trump’s threat that he plans to end birthright citizenship through an executive order. 
 
“The 14th Amendment and decades of Supreme Court precedent are crystal clear: Anyone born in the U.S. and within its legal reach is a U.S. citizen. The president has no authority to single-handedly overturn the 14th Amendment. To quote Gold Star father Khizr Khan, ‘Have you even read the U.S. Constitution?’ 
 
“This administration is again trying to score political points by viciously attacking and dehumanizing immigrant families right before the election. As Halloween approaches, we will not be scared, and we will not be tricked.  Instead we will make our voices heard one week from today at the polls--and we urge everyone eligible to GO VOTE!”