Politicology Who Gets to Be an American? — The Weekly
Apr 3, 2026
Susan Del Percio, crisis communications expert and political analyst, joins to debate who counts as American and who gets to decide. They tackle the Supreme Court fight over birthright citizenship and the politics of using an executive order. Conversation turns to the SAVE Act’s proof-of-citizenship rules, practical enforcement problems, and broader questions of belonging and democratic accountability.
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Legal Fight Centers On "Subject To The Jurisdiction" Phrase
- The Trump administration's bid to end birthright citizenship targets the phrase "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" in the 14th Amendment as the legal hook.
- Solicitor General John Sauer argued domiciliation and legal status matter, but courts and Justices questioned factual basis like birth tourism prevalence.
Executive Order Means Policy Can Be Reversed Or Slow Walked
- Susan Del Percio frames the EO as political theater, not a sustained legislative policy change, because it was done by executive order.
- She predicts administrative slow-walking of related services even if courts block the order, using bureaucracy as a de facto tactic.
Debate Over Citizenship Reflects A Crisis Of American Identity
- Ron Steslow argues the deeper conflict is over the meaning of American identity and allegiance, not only legal status.
- Both hosts say declining shared civic values and disagreement about what the flag and pledge represent fuel current polarization.