Archbishop assails Trump over birthright citizenship repeal

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The leader of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia on Tuesday attacked GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump's call for ending automatic citizenship for children born to immigrants living illegally in the U.S., saying the idea "plays on our worst fears and resentments."

Without at first mentioning Trump by name, Chaput began his remarks by declaring: "At least one of our presidential candidates has already made the national immigration debate ugly with a great deal of belligerent bombast."

U.S.-born children of all immigrants, including those living in the U.S. illegally, have been automatically considered American citizens since the adoption of the Constitution's 14th Amendment in 1868.

In an opinion piece in July, the onetime religious history professor wrote that if he were back in the classroom, he'd "roll out my 'Trump' card'" to show skeptical students that organized opposition to immigrants was still alive and well.