US President Donald Trump has confirmed plans to sign an executive order that would end birthright citizenship.
Under current rules, a child born to non-citizens and unauthorised immigrants on US soil is given American citizenship.
However in an interview with Axios, the president confirmed that he planned to end it using an executive order branding the policy “ridiculous.”
He said: “It was always told to me that you needed a constitutional amendment, but guess what, you don’t.
“You can definitely do it with an act of congress, but now they’re saying I can do it with just an executive order.”
The president said the executive order was “in the process” and “it will happen.”
He added: “We're the only country in the world where a person comes in and has a baby and the baby is essentially a citizen of the United States for 85 years with all of those benefits. It’s ridiculous. And it has to end.”
His comments on the US being the only country in the world to offer birthright citizenship is incorrect. Countries such as Canada and Argentina offer birthright citizenship.
It’s thought that should the executive order happen, Mr Trump would face a legal battle to enforce it.
Previous executive orders signed by Mr Trump include improving mental health treatment for veterans and a travel ban on people from Iran, Iraq, Libya,Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
On Monday, Mr Trump announced plans to send over 5,000 troops to the US-Mexico border to secure it ahead of the arrival of a migrant caravan.
The caravan now has around 3,000 people from Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico who are determined to seek asylum in the US.
Mr Trump wrote on Twitter: "Many gang members and some very bad people are mixed into the caravan heading to our southern border. Please go back, you will not be admitted into the United States unless you go through the legal process. This is an invasion of our country and our military is waiting for you."
