'Being American Means Nothing': MAGA Influencer Targets Indian Children In Shocking July 4 Rant

American Independence Day is usually marked by celebrations of national identity, but this year's holiday also brought renewed arguments over immigration and citizenship. MAGA influencer Elijah Schaffer, who has previously drawn criticism for his comments about Indians, posted a video outside a Hindu temple in Frisco, Texas, where he questioned the meaning of American identity after the recent Supreme Court ruling that upheld birthright citizenship.

Referring to children outside the temple, Schaffer argued that being born in the United States should not automatically make someone American if their parents were in the country on temporary visas or held Green Cards. His remarks quickly spread online and prompted criticism from members of the Indian community, who accused him of targeting Indian children while using the Fourth of July to push an anti-immigration message. The comments have once again placed Schaffer at the centre of controversy over his views on immigration and Indian Americans.

Supreme Court Ruling Draws Fresh Criticism

Standing outside a Hindu temple with children visible in the background, Schaffer used his Independence Day message to question the recent Supreme Court decision upholding birthright citizenship.

He argued that children born in the United States to parents who were in the country on temporary visas or held permanent residency should not automatically be viewed as fully American simply because they were born on US soil.

'This kind of brings up an interesting question. If your parent may not be an American, they may be here on a temporary visa, maybe they are here on a Green Card, perhaps they are just a resident and we don't really know but then if you have children here, those children are decidedly citizens,' Schaffer said.

He went on to question what Americans were celebrating on Independence Day if citizenship required no shared history or sacrifice.

'It sort of just begs the question this 4th of July: what are we celebrating? If we are celebrating independence from England to have an American identity, but an American identity requires no blood, sweat, finances, tears or history... you just have to be born on the magic soil...then the identity of what American is really no longer exists. And you don't really know what you are celebrating on the 4th of July, for that matter,' he added.

Schaffer also linked the issue to immigration policy, asking how the administration could address concerns surrounding H-1B visa holders and Temporary Protected Status if children born in the United States were citizens, arguing that separating families would become increasingly difficult under those circumstances.

Indian Community Responds To Video

The video received an immediate response from members of the Indian community, with many accusing Schaffer of unfairly targeting Indian children while making political arguments about immigration.

Commentator Sandeep Neel criticised both the setting of the video and Schaffer's remarks in a post on X.

'Elijah Schaffer stands in front of a temple in Frisco,Texas 🇺🇸, while filming children, declares that he is not going to celebrate the 4th of July because there are too many Indian kids, children of H-1B workers, in America. But he seems to have no problem grifting on a platform owned by a former H-1B holder,' Neel wrote.

The criticism continued by pointing to what Neel described as inconsistencies in Schaffer's position on immigrants connected to public figures.

'He also says he doesn't trust anyone with an "Indian wife," like JD Vance, to hold public office. Usha Vance was born in the USA, but Melania Trump wasn't. She is an immigrant, yet he seems to be perfectly okay with that,' the post added.