“...birthright citizenship for the children of temporary visitors and illegal aliens could likely be abolished by statute without amending the Constitution.”
That would certainly make sense since it was never granted by the constitution, including the wording of the fourteenth.
Temporary visitors and illegal aliens do not fall within the meaning of, “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.”
Almost every year for more than a decade, there have been bills to end birthright citizenship. If the opponents of ending it claim that it can only be done by constitutional amendment, then why is there a bill every year to end it. We all know that the courts have never litigated the matter and that it will have to be tested in the courts. But you can't get to that step without passing a bill in Congress.
Many legal scholars believe that a constitutional amendment will not be needed given the circumstances surrounding the 14th amendment. The idea that birthright citizenship is some sacred right is nonsense. There are only two developed countries in the world that still have it: the US and Canada.