House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is leaping into action to protect American citizens by banning … something that is already illegal.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Capitol Thursday, Jeffries
announced that, as a condition of supporting legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security as it continues its deadly immigration enforcement crackdown in Minneapolis, Democrats will demand a ban on deporting American citizens.
“In what country are we living in if it’s controversial to prohibit [the deportation] of American citizens?” Jeffries said. “That shouldn’t even be a discussion.”
It shouldn’t be up for discussion because it is already illegal. Deporting American citizens is not permitted under the
Immigration and Nationality Act, which outlines the rules for deporting noncitizens.
It also violates a
1958 Supreme Court ruling that found stripping a person of their American citizenship violated the
Eighth Amendment protection against “cruel and unusual punishment.”