From Bruce Lee to Marco Rubio: A list of celebrity birthright citizens
Many notable Americans are birthright citizens, from Secretary of State Marco Rubio to martial arts icon Bruce Lee.
The Secretary of State, several former presidential candidates and martial arts icon Bruce Lee all became American citizens at birth because of birthright citizenship, which the Supreme Court has now thrown into limbo.
On the first day back in office, President Donald Trump directed federal agencies not to recognize the citizenship of children born in the United States to parents in the country temporarily or without legal authorization – a move several judges quickly blocked nationwide.
On June 27, the Supreme Court lifted temporary blocks preventing Trump's order from taking effect, but left it to lower courts to consider the constitutionality of Trump's executive order. Whether Trump will ultimately be able to repeal the longstanding legal precedent that grants citizenship to all children born on American soil is unclear.
Here are some well-known actors and politicians who would not have been American citizens when they were born if birthright had not existed.
Marco Rubio
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, 54, is the son of Cuban immigrants who did not become naturalized U.S. citizens until 1975, years after their son was born.
Rubio has previously said he does not agree with repealing birthright citizenship.
Diane Guerrero
Actress Diane Guerrero, who starred in the hit television show "Orange is the New Black,' was born to undocumented immigrants from Columbia who were deported when she was 14, she told NPR in 2019.
In an interview with the outlet, she said, 'This is a country of immigrants. People forget – they like to forget that their ancestors came here with the same dream, with the same hopes, with the same fears. And it's unfair to say that because people are coming later that they don't deserve to be here.'
Nikki Haley
Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who ran for the Republican nomination for president in 2024, was born in South Carolina to immigrants from the Punjab region of India, according to her autobiography.
In 2015, she told The State news outlet that her parents were in the United States legally but did not become naturalized citizens until after her birth, and the non-partisan American Immigration Council considers her a U.S. citizen because of her place of birth.
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee, the martial arts icon who starred in films such as "Enter the Dragon" and "Fists of Fury," was born in San Francisco while his parents were traveling with the Chinese Opera.
The National Archives notes that under birthright citizenship he was considered a citizen ‒ though he would not be under Trump's revision to the law. "Lee's parents filed for a Return Certificate on his behalf … enabling him to return to the United States if he later wished to do so. Lee did return at the age of 18 and grew into the iconic martial artist and film star known across the world."
Kamala Harris
Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship may have been designed explicitly against his November rival for the presidency, former Vice President Kamala Harris.
David Bier, of the Libertarian Cato Institute, posted on X the day Trump signed the order: "As I predicted, Trump's birthright citizenship EO includes a Kamala Harris clause, specifically designed to deny the legitimacy of her US citizenship as the child of someone with a temporary status."
Trump's order specifies that someone wouldn't be entitled to birthright if their mother was on a temporary visa ‒ like the student visa Harris' mother was on at the time of her birth ‒ and their father wasn't a citizen, as hers wasn't.
Vivek Ramaswamy
Vivek Ramaswamy, the tech billionaire and 2024 Republican presidential candidate, told NBC News in 2023 that his father never became a U.S. citizen and his mother only naturalized after he was born.
Ramaswamy, who Trump endorsed in next year's Ohio gubernatorial race, has repeatedly called for an end to birthright citizenship.
Contributing: Maureen Groppe, Eduardo Cuevas, Sara Chernikoff, Ramon Padilla and Bart Jansen, USA TODAY
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Curtis Sliwa vows to stay in NYC mayoral race as donors plot to stop Mamdani
EXCLUSIVE: New York City Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa slammed the door on any talk of him dropping out of the race, and blamed incumbent Eric Adams for the rise of socialist Zohran Mamdani. Prominent donors are exploring ways to get Sliwa to drop out of the race to open up the GOP nomination – with Adams being touted to replace him, according to a New York Post report. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who lost the Democratic primary to Mamdani last week, could also be on the ticket in November. But Sliwa, a lifelong New Yorker and founder of the Guardian Angels crime-prevention group, insisted to Fox News Digital that he is the man for the job. He also spoke about his fractured relationship with President Donald Trump and said he would welcome the president's endorsement, should it come. Zohran Mamdani Repeatedly Pressed On Whether He Condemns 'Globalize The Intifada' Term In Nbc Interview He said the city needs a fighter and he has already risked his life to make the city safer – and has the battle scars to prove it. The Brooklyn-born 71-year-old famously survived a mob hit in 1992 in which he was shot multiple times inside a moving taxi before jumping out through a window. "The only way you get me out of this race before Nov. 4 is in a coffin, in a pine box," he said. "And people know the Gottis and Gambinos tried that in 1992, and it didn't work and this won't work either. Be prepared to see Curtis Sliwa on the Republican line on Nov. 4." Read On The Fox News App Sliwa has led the Guardian Angels since 1979 and said what separates him from the field is simple: He rides the subways, talks to the people and knows the neighborhoods by heart. "I'm the only real tried and true New Yorker. Andrew Cuomo hasn't lived in the city since 1990. Mamdani goes back and forth to Uganda. Eric Adams? He lives in Fort Lee," Sliwa said in a dig at Adams owning a property in New Jersey. "As goes the subway, so goes New York City. That's our veins and arteries. None of these other guys are in the system. I live there." Political experts consider Sliwa's election bid as a long shot. He ran against Adams in the 2021 election and lost by 66.1% to 27.4%. But the chips could finally fall Sliwa's way in November if the left and center vote splits – with voters balking at Mamdani's far-left agenda and both Adams and former Cuomo siphoning off Democratic votes with Independent runs. Washington Post Bashes Socialist Zohran Mamdani As Potential Disaster For New York City "Oh, I don't care how many candidates are in the race. Look, we wouldn't be in this situation, people wouldn't even know who Zohan Mamdani is if Eric Adams had fairly been a successful Democratic elected mayor... Republicans don't trust him, Democrats don't want him... He is corrupt." Adams' tenure was marred by federal corruption charges brought under the Biden administration, including accusations of wire fraud and solicitation of campaign contributions from foreign nationals. Adams denied the charges, which were later dropped by the Trump administration. Adams' spokesperson, Kayla Mamelak Altus, blasted Sliwa's characterization of the mayor, telling Fox News Digital Sliwa is becoming "more detached from reality every day and nothing he ever says should be taken seriously." In the interview, Sliwa also took aim at Mamdani's socialist policies, which include a citywide rent freeze, free public bus service and higher property taxes on wealthy neighborhoods – all ideas that critics say have already strained budgets and backfired in Chicago under Mayor Brandon Johnson. "Just go to Chicago and see the results of what a socialist mayor will not be able to do for you," Sliwa said. "There's a lot of promise, but there's no delivery." Mamdani's campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Sliwa said his campaign is focused on public safety and housing affordability, embracing the slogan "improve, don't move," which taps into disgruntled voters who may seek to join the exodus of people fleeing the city in recent years. He also thinks his no-kill policy for the city's animal shelters will bring in moderate Democrats, women voters, younger generations and animal advocates who might not typically support a Republican candidate. Sliwa is known for his deep love of cats, often highlighting his devotion to rescuing and caring for strays. Sliwa scoffed at the notion that Mamdani's social media influence could be a deciding factor, arguing the race will be won by connecting with people on the ground. The assemblyman has nearly 2 million followers on Instagram, compared to Sliwa's 66,000, while the socialist candidate has more than 910,000 followers on TikTok compared to Sliwa's 183,000. 'Delusional' Nyc Politicians Called Out By Guardian Angels Founder Over Subway Violence: 'Slap In The Face' "I already know how to appeal to young people," Sliwa said, noting he's been recruiting young people for decades to lead the Guardian Angels. "My Baby Boomer generation talks about Gen Z like they're lazy or stupid… They couldn't be more wrong. That just pushes them into Mamdani's camp." A Trump endorsement could also shift momentum in Sliwa's favor. Though he called his relationship with the president a "love-hate" one, Trump's rallies in the Bronx and at Madison Square Garden last year suggest a shifting political tide in the city – and a joint appearance with Sliwa could prove a game-changer. "I don't talk to President Trump on the phone. I haven't been to Mar-a-Lago or gone to Washington," Sliwa said. "He seems to talk to Eric Adams. Look, he saved him from going to prison, I understand that. In the last election, I voted for him and I encouraged people to vote for him." But Sliwa said he is open to receiving Trump's backing, even if the race is not on the president's radar. "Well, if it comes, that's fine. If it doesn't come, remember I ran the last time, I was not endorsed by President Trump," Sliwa said. "[Trump] did not endorse Eric Adams. He basically stayed out of the race. He's got enough issues to deal with – Ukraine, Russia, Iran, obviously his beautiful bill and everything else that he's got on his plate that has geopolitical significance. Who's the next mayor of New York City should be last on his priority list." Sliwa's campaign thus far has lacked much visibility, given in part to him winning the GOP nomination uncontested. But he said the win unlocks vital matching funds that will turbocharge his campaign in the general election. "So now I have the resources. I'm in the streets and the one place that Zohan Mamdani is not, nor any of the other candidates. I live in the subways and that is the melting pot for all people in New York City." "The blue-collar working class, the hipsters, the millennials, Gen Z and people who are baby boomers. And if you're not in the subway, which is a great focus group, you're not dealing with regular average everyday people, because as goes the subways, so goes New York City." "It's our veins and arteries."Original article source: Curtis Sliwa vows to stay in NYC mayoral race as donors plot to stop Mamdani
35 minutes ago
EPA employees put names to 'declaration of dissent' over agency moves under Trump
A group of Environmental Protection Agency employees on Monday published a declaration of dissent from the agency's policies under the Trump administration, saying they 'undermine the EPA mission of protecting human health and the environment.' More than 170 EPA employees put their names to the document, with about 100 more signing anonymously out of fear of retaliation, according to Jeremy Berg, a former editor-in-chief of Science magazine who is not an EPA employee but was among non-EPA scientists or academics to also sign. The latter figure includes over 70 Nobel laureates. The letter represents rare public criticism from agency employees who could face blowback for speaking out against a weakening of funding and federal support for climate, environmental and health science. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health made a similar move earlier in June. "Since the Agency's founding in 1970, EPA has accomplished (its) mission by leveraging science, funding, and expert staff in service to the American people. Today, we stand together in dissent against the current administration's focus on harmful deregulation, mischaracterization of previous EPA actions, and disregard for scientific expertise," the letter read. Agency spokespeople did not immediately respond Monday to messages seeking comment. 'I'm really sad. This agency, that was a superhero for me in my youth, we're not living up to our ideals under this administration. And I really want us to,' said Amelia Hertzberg, an environmental protection specialist at the EPA who has been on administrative leave since February from the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, while the administration works to close down her department. Hertzberg's work focused on the most vulnerable groups impacted by pollution: pregnant and nursing people, young children and babies, the elderly, people with preexisting and chronic health conditions and people living in communities exposed to higher levels of pollution. That wasn't supposed to be controversial, but it's become so in this political climate, she said. 'Americans should be able to drink their water and breathe their air without being poisoned. And if they aren't, then our government is failing,' she said. Berg, who also directed the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at NIH from 2003-2011, said the dissent isn't motivated by partisan criticism. He said the employees hope it will help the EPA get back to the mission for which it was established — which 'only matters if you breathe air and drink water." The letter outlines what the EPA employees see as five main concerns: undermining public trust; ignoring scientific consensus to benefit polluters; reversing EPA's progress in America's most vulnerable communities; dismantling the Office of Research and Development; and promoting a culture of fear, forcing staff to choose between their livelihood and well-being. Under Administrator Lee Zeldin, EPA has cut funding for environmental improvements in minority communities, vowed to roll back federal regulations that lower air pollution in national parks and tribal reservations, wants to undo a ban on a type of asbestos and proposed repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas. Zeldin began reorganizing the EPA's research and development office as part of his push to slash their budget and gut their study of climate change and environmental justice. And he's seeking to roll back pollution rules that an Associated Press examination found were estimated to save 30,000 lives and $275 billion every year. 'People are going to die,' said Carol Greider, a Nobel laureate and professor of molecular and cellular biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who also signed the letter. She described last week's East Coast heat wave as evidence of the ways people are feeling the effects of climate change. 'And if we don't have scientists at the EPA to understand how what we do that goes into the air affects our health, more people are going to die,' she added. Berg said the declarations of dissent from both the NIH and EPA employees are noteworthy because they represent scientists speaking out as their careers are on the line. Even non-agency employees have to consider whether the government will withdraw research funding. Greider, asked about fears of repercussions or retaliation, said she's 'living the repercussions of everything.' She regularly meets with graduate students who are worried about pursuing scientific careers as labs lose funding. It's a long-term problem if we aren't supporting the next generation of scientists, she said: "That's decades worth of loss.' ___
Washington Post
38 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Sen. Thom Tillis denounces Medicaid cuts in Trump tax bill
Politics Sen. Thom Tillis denounces Medicaid cuts in Trump tax bill June 30, 2025 | 12:13 PM GMT Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) on June 29 delivered a fiery speech on the Senate floor, denouncing steep cuts to Medicaid in Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill, a sprawling tax and immigration package.
