Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced a bill on Wednesday to ban birthright citizenship for children born to illegal immigrants while attacking President Joe Biden’s executive order on the border as “a joke.”

Cotton is leading the Constitutional Citizenship Clarification Act, claiming, “Granting birthright citizenship to illegal aliens has contributed to the highest levels of illegal immigration in history.”

“There is no constitutional right for illegal aliens to cross the border to gain citizenship for their children,” the Arkansan said in a press release. “Fixing this will help reduce the damage from Biden’s catastrophic border crisis.”

Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and J.D. Vance (R-OH) are co-sponsoring the legislation to make children of illegal immigrants, terrorists, and foreign spies ineligible for birthright citizenship.

The Washington Examiner reached out to Cotton’s office for further comment on the legislation.

Cotton announced the restrictive immigration measure the day after Biden issued an executive order capping illegal immigrants’ asylum petitions at 2,500 a day. 

Cotton derided the president’s action, saying, “Joe Biden is saying to the cartels and potential terrorists, that as long as there’s not more than 75,000 illegal aliens crossing our border a month, then you’re still welcome to come.”

According to the Center for Immigration Studies, 3.8 million illegal immigrants have entered the United States since Biden took office, bringing the total illegal immigrant population to approximately 13.8 million.

Cotton’s hard-line immigration bill comes amid news that he is now a top contender to be former President Donald Trump’s running mate. In May, reports broke alleging the Arkansan had joined Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND) and Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Vance for a spot on Trump’s short list. The foreign policy hawk is a throwback to the old guard of the Republican Party, often breaking with the growing isolationist wing of the GOP over his unrelenting support for Ukraine.

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As the GOP prepares for November’s election, Trump may consider Cotton the candidate who helps bring in establishment Republicans, including Nikki Haley voters still stinging from the former U.N. ambassador’s primary loss. 

Cotton has also endeared himself to Trump’s base with his fiery rhetoric and decisive support for the former president during his legal battles. In February, Cotton demanded special counsel Jack Smith be removed from Trump’s election subversion case, calling the prosecutor “an unhinged zealot.”