Should America End Birthright Citizenship?
From Open to Debate by Open to Debate
June 5, 2026 · 53 min
About this episode
The episode debates whether America should end birthright citizenship, discussing its implications on immigration and civic contributions.
Birthright citizenship guarantees citizenship to anyone born within the United States’ territory, regardless of a parent’s nationality. But should this legal principle be removed from the Constitution? Those arguing it shouldn’t say that it prevents children from being punished for their parents’ status, while encouraging long-term economic and civic contributions. But those calling to end the practice argue it fuels illegal immigration and strains the overburdened immigration system. Now, we debate: Should America End Birthright Citizenship? This ethical conundrum is at the crux of this week's debate, originally broadcast in October 2025. Arguing Yes: Mark Krikorian, Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies Horace Cooper, Senior Fellow at the National Center for Public Policy Research; Chairman of the Project 21 National Advisory Board Arguing No: Kris Mayes, Arizona Attorney General Chris Newman, Legal Director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates Join the conversation on Substack - share your perspective on this episode and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for curated insights from our…
People in this episode
Host: John Donvan
Guests: Mark Krikorian, Horace Cooper, Kris Mayes, Chris Newman
Topics covered
- birthright citizenship
- immigration
- legal principles
- economic contributions
- civic contributions
- illegal immigration
- constitutional debate
Keywords
- birthright citizenship
- immigration system
- economic contributions
- civic contributions
- illegal immigration
- constitutional debate
- legal principle
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Center for Immigration Studies, National Center for Public Policy Research, Arizona Attorney General, National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON)
More episodes of Open to Debate
- Is It Ethical To Cooperate With Chinese State Institutions To Secure Incremental Change? · June 12, 2026 · 53 min
- Generational Divides with Nick Gillespie: Are the Parents Alright? · May 29, 2026 · 53 min
- Government as Shareholder: Proactive Competitive Strategy or Last Resort? · May 22, 2026 · 53 min
- Is the Scientific Enterprise Too Risk-Averse? · May 14, 2026 · 53 min
- Should Museums Repatriate Cultural Artifacts? · May 7, 2026 · 53 min
- Should We Separate the Art from the Artist? · April 30, 2026 · 53 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Open to Debate podcast page.