Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has entered the fray of the 2024 Republican presidential primary, publicly disagreeing with several of his competitors on the issue of birthright citizenship. Suarez, whose parents immigrated from Cuba, called proposals to end birthright citizenship "really idiotic" in an interview, emphasizing the constitutional foundation of this right.

The mayor highlighted the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to anyone born in the United States, as a cornerstone of American identity. He noted the personal significance of this amendment, stating that it was the basis of his own citizenship. Suarez argued that focusing on border security, rather than altering the Constitution, is the appropriate response to immigration concerns.

The debate over birthright citizenship has been reignited amidst the ongoing migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. Former President Donald Trump, along with other GOP candidates like Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have expressed intentions to revisit or restrict birthright citizenship. Trump initially proposed ending the practice in 2018 and reiterated his commitment to this goal in May.

Suarez's stance aligns with former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, who criticized proposals to end birthright citizenship by executive order as both unconstitutional and ineffective. This disagreement highlights a growing divide within the Republican party concerning immigration policy and the interpretation of the 14th Amendment.