GannonFan wrote:
Not that I agree with Trump's position, as I don't, but what is unconstitutional of not allowing immigrants to this country if they are Muslim?
Granted, it's impossible to ever say something is unconstitutional or constitutional until SCOTUS rules on a specific case. I'll concede that I shouldn't have said "clearly"....
But, it would be pretty damn difficult to see them upholding this.
His Vice Presidential pick called it unconstitutional back in December.
GannonFan wrote:The 14th amendment, and really most of the constitution, refers to citizens or people of this country. It's fairly quiet on government and people from outside the government.
The Constitution uses explicit language for "citizens".
Compare:
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States
14th Amendment:
nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Does "any person" really refer to only citizens?
Why use the "any person" language?
Why not just say "nor shall any State deprive any [citizen] of life, liberty, or property..."?
This is the reasoning behind Gitmo. We can keep them there without subjecting them to any protections under the Constitution. Moving them to the US requires giving them due process.
SCOTUS has consistently ruled that the 14th Amendment applies to non-citizens.
1888:
The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution is not confined to the protection of citizens. It says:
"Nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
These provisions are universal in their application to all persons within the territorial jurisdiction, without regard to any differences of race, of color, or of nationality, and the equal protection of the laws is a pledge of the protection of equal laws. It is accordingly enacted by § 1977 of the Revised Statutes, that
"all persons within the jurisdiction of the United States shall have the same right in every State and Territory to make and enforce contracts, to sue, be parties, give evidence, and to the full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security of persons and property as is enjoyed by white citizens and shall be subject to like punishment, pains, penalties, taxes, licenses, and exactions of every kind, and to no other."
http://openjurist.org/532/f2d/268/franc ... on-service