Trump vs. Birthright Citizenship: Free Discussion + Poetry (Berkeley)

Carrie Rosenbaum, Professor at the USF School of Law

Jeffrey Leong, poet and author of Wild Geese Sorrow: The Chinese Wall Inscriptions at Angel Island

and Barry Thornton, writer for Revolution newspaper and staff of Revolution Books

On his first day in office, Trump issued an executive order abolishing “birthright citizenship” for people born in the U.S. whose parents were not “legal residents” at the time of their birth. This directly violates the 14th Amendment of U.S. Constitution, which guarantees citizenship to all people born in the United States.

On April 1st, the Supreme Court heard arguments on the constitutionality of Trump’s executive order and will rule probably this summer on whether to submit to the Trump regime’s demand to eliminate birthright citizenship.

Who was Wong Kim Ark and what can be learned from this case?

Where do things stand now with the case before the Supreme Court?

Why is this under attack now?

What does this say about the rule of law and the increasing fascist attacks on people’s rights?

What is behind the current attack on birthright citizenship?  How is this attack connected to the history of the US in how it has treated immigrants, especially those who are not from European countries?

USF Law professor, Carrie Rosenbaum will speak about the landmark Supreme Court case of Wong Kim Ark that established birthright citizenship in 1898 and the significance of the case before the Supreme Court. She is also an immigration lawyer whose research/scholarship is in the area of immigration, race and rights.

Jeffrey Thomas Leong, author and poet, veteran of the Third World Liberation Front and Asian American Studies at UC Berkeley will read from his book, Wild Geese Sorrow: The Chinese Wall Inscriptions at Angel Island, new translations he made of many of the poems carved into the men’s barracks walls. The racist Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 kept out all Chinese except merchants and students. Some Chinese immigrants claimed birthright citizenship as the sons and daughters of citizens. All Chinese were detained at Angel Island until they passed the interrogation by immigration officials.  These poems capture the detainee’s deep anger, sorrow, and loneliness and are a powerful testament to human resiliency and perseverance everywhere.

Barry Thornton will speak about how the assault on birthright citizenship, and on immigrants in general, is the cutting edge of the overall fascist clampdown on society, how this is deeply rooted in American history and capitalist development, and why we need a fundamentally different system.

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Venue: Revolution Books

Address: 2444 Durant Avenue Berkeley, CA