Trump Escalates Rhetoric on Birthright Citizenship, Targets Indian-Origin Professionals

US President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric on birthright citizenship after sharing a post on Truth Social that made controversial claims about countries like China, India and immigration in the United States. The post, originally from radio host Michael Savage’s The Savage Nation, included sharp criticism of current US citizenship laws and immigration policy, referring to countries including India as “hellholes,” which Trump appeared to agree with and amplify. The discussion in the shared post argued that the issue of citizenship by birth should not be left to courts or lawyers, but decided through a national public vote. It also included strong attacks on immigration lawyers, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and broader US immigration systems. The post went further to target skilled immigration, especially Indians and Chinese working in California’s technology sector, linking them to alleged job displacement of American workers. “It’s not limited to China, it’s also India. They’re also abusing it,” the post read, while attacking existing immigration laws and criticising legal challenges before the US Supreme Court. New media post from Donald J. Trump (TS: 22 Apr 18:00 ET)​​​‍​​‌‍​​‌‍​​​​​​​‌‍​​​​​‌‍​​​​​​‌‍​‌‍​​​​​​​‌‍​‌‍​​​​​​‌‍​‌‍​​​​​​‌‍​‌‍​​​​​​​​‌‍​​​​​​​​​​‌‍​​​​​​‌‍​‌‍​​​​​‌‍ https://t.co/TcBMalEK6w pic.twitter.com/Y6mvT3JUIP Amid the growing “America First” and jobs debate, along with rising anti-India sentiment, Trump appeared to have just raised the stakes. He seemed to agree with strong claims about hiring in California’s technology sector, where many Indian-origin professionals hold senior roles. The post claimed how white Americans were being sidelined in hiring and alleged that corporate systems were designed to favour Indians and Chinese workers. “I used to be a great supporter of Indians in India until I opened my eyes up to what’s going on here. White men need not apply to jobs in the state of California . Never mind in high tech. I don’t care what your qualifications are. You’re not getting a job at High Tech in California.” The post added, “Your chances are nil. You have to be from India or China because almost all the internal mechanisms are set up to be run by Indians and Chinese. I know it for a fact, and you don’t have to argue with it. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, don’t argue with me.” The remarks may draw criticism from Indian-American groups, especially as Indian-origin professionals play a major role in Silicon Valley and across the US technology sector. Many top CEOs, startup founders and engineers in America are of Indian origin. Indian nationals are also among the largest recipients of employment-based visas, such as H-1B. According to the Savage Nation host, the biggest concern was the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution, which gives citizenship to most children born on American soil. He claimed the system is being misused by families from Asia who travel to the US late in pregnancy so their children can be born there. “A baby here becomes an instant citizen, and then they bring the entire family in from China or India or some other hellhole on the planet,” he said. He then added, “You don’t have to go too far to see that. English is not spoken here anymore.” The post also claimed that modern immigrants from countries like India and China do not integrate the way earlier European immigrants once did. He mentioned groups such as the Irish, Italians, Polish and Russians, saying they became part of America. He claimed that today the country is no longer a “melting pot,” but a “cash in pot,” before calling it a “chamber pot.” Lastly, the radio host said he had asked followers on social media whether birthright citizenship should be decided through a referendum instead of legal challenges. “Should birthright citizenship be subjected to a national vote? Not put in the hands of lawyers?” he said. An online poll on X showed support running “78% to 21%,” though he admitted it was a small and biased sample.