US President Trump reposted a letter from American radio host Michael Savage, in which India, China and other countries have been called “hellholes”. The letter contains racist comments and also advocates changes in US laws granting citizenship based on birth.
Sharp attack on citizenship laws
In his lengthy note, Savage responded to the ongoing debate in the US Supreme Court over citizenship by birth. He opposed the provision under which citizenship is granted by birth to the children of non-citizens; He argued that the issue should not be decided by the courts, but by a national referendum.
Controversial statement on “citizenship by birth”
In the letter, Savage claimed that people from other countries come to the US specifically so they can “give birth in the ninth month,” and thus gain immediate citizenship. He wrote, “A child born here immediately becomes a citizen, and then they bring their entire families here from China, India, or some other ‘hell’ in the world.”
Derogatory comments against Indian and Chinese immigrants
In this letter, derogatory language has also been used against Indian and Chinese immigrants. Describing them as “laptop gangsters”, Savage charged that they had “disrespected the American flag.”
Allegations of “birth tourism” and misuse of the system
Savage further alleged that the existing system was being abused through “birth tourism” and abuse of welfare schemes. He also claimed that in today’s context of immigration, the US Constitution is outdated.
Trump’s claim vs reality
Trump shared this post on his social media platform, Truth Social, just a day after making the statement. In that statement he had claimed that apart from America, no other country in the world gives citizenship on the basis of birth. However, the reality is that about three dozen countries offer this feature, including Canada, Mexico, and most of South America.