Graham says ‘a good chance’ Supreme Court sides with Trump on birthright citizenship

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said he believes there is a “good chance” that the Supreme Court sides with President Trump on the issue of birthright citizenship.

Graham joined NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, where host Kristen Welker asked him about Trump’s executive order on citizenship, which a federal judge temporarily blocked.

“I think there’s a good chance,” Graham said of the Supreme Court taking up the case. “I introduced legislation to end birthright citizenship years ago.”

Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship has divided Republicans, highlighting their internal differences on the immigration-related topic.

Some conservatives who believe the citizenship pathway has been abused are siding with Trump, while some moderates are concerned about changing the constitutional right that has existed for more than 150 years.

U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, agreed to a request that blocked Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order from taking effect for 14 days.

He called it a “blatantly unconstitutional” order that he had yet to see in his career.

Graham, a supporter of Trump’s immigration plan, argued that birthright citizenship is a wrong way for people to receive U.S. status.

“I think it’s a cheap way to award citizenship,” he said. “You should not be a citizen simple because you were born here.”