The Republican attorneys general of 18 states — including Utah — have made a totally nonsensical argument purporting to defend President Donald Trump’s move to unilaterally repeal the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Attorney General Derek Brown has signed onto a brief asking the federal courts to uphold Trump’s order ending birthright citizenship for those born to parents not authorized to be in the U.S., as well as some here on temporary permits.

Their argument hangs on a novel interpretation of the provision granting citizenship to those born in the U.S. and “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” The Trump-Brown case is that people here illegally are not subject to American jurisdiction, and so their children are not entitled to citizenship for being born here.

Explain that to all the people who have been, or will be, arrested, detained and deported in immigration sweeps. Or for allegedly committing real crimes. Hard to get more “subject to the jurisdiction” than that.

Utahns began this year with some hope that we had traded up when Brown replaced former A.G. Sean Reyes. But just because Brown actually shows up for work doesn’t mean we should be pleased with everything he does when he gets there.