Trump again tries to limit US birthright citizenship with new executive orders

Trump Again Tries to Limit US Birthright Citizenship

Constantvpn.com – Trump again tries to limit birthright citizenship through two new executive orders signed Thursday, targeting both foreign nationals giving birth on American soil and specific categories of non-citizen parents. These measures follow a Supreme Court setback that invalidated his initial attempt to dismantle the constitutional guarantee, demonstrating the administration’s persistence in finding alternative legal pathways to reshape who qualifies as a natural-born citizen.

The president framed the directives as necessary corrections to immigration policy loopholes. One order expands the categories of non-citizens whose children will be excluded from automatic citizenship, while the second specifically addresses what officials term “birth tourism”—the practice of expectant mothers traveling to the United States primarily to secure American citizenship for their offspring.

Broader Restrictions on Automatic Citizenship

The first executive order introduces new limitations on automatic citizenship for infants born within U.S. borders to two non-citizen parents. Under the revised framework, babies will no longer receive automatic citizenship if one parent belongs to any of several specific categories: membership in a foreign terrorist organization, employment as a foreign government employee, acquisition of citizenship through fraudulent means, or residence in U.S. territories where federal statute does not confer citizenship.

Birthright citizenship for individuals born in U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico remains protected under existing federal law, distinguishing these cases from the executive order’s broader provisions. The administration has consistently maintained that certain categories of foreign nationals should not automatically confer citizenship upon their children born on American soil.

“This should have happened years ago, but we’re taking care of it now,” Trump declared from the Oval Office, directly criticizing the Supreme Court’s rejection of his earlier effort to terminate the 150-year-old policy.

Addressing Birth Tourism Concerns

The second executive order focuses on birth tourism, a practice that has drawn particular attention from the administration. Trump and senior officials have repeatedly accused Russia and China of exploiting birthright citizenship provisions to facilitate infiltration of American society through their citizens’ children.

During the Thursday announcement, Trump claimed that hundreds of thousands of babies have been delivered through birth tourism in the United States. However, independent research presents a more measured picture. The Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan organization, estimates that census-based data indicates approximately 22,000 to 26,000 babies are born annually in the U.S. through birth tourism. Government records compiled by the institute show 9,600 births to mothers with foreign addresses in 2024 alone.

“The idea is that people come here pretending to be a tourist, pretending to be a visitor,” Stephen Miller, homeland security advisor and White House deputy chief of staff for policy, explained while standing beside the president. “But the real reason they’re here is to have a child, to make that child an automatic citizen, to leave our country and then have a US citizen child.”

Legal Challenges Ahead

Trump’s latest efforts follow a significant legal defeat. On one of his first full days back in office in 2025, the president signed an executive order attempting to eliminate birthright citizenship as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. A swift legal challenge carried the matter to the Supreme Court, which in June ruled that Trump’s 2025 policies could not stand and that birthright citizenship remained firmly established as federal law.

The high court’s decision represented a substantial setback for Trump’s broader agenda to control who may live, work, and become citizens in the United States. From the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump characterized the ruling as “a bad decision, very unfair decision,” asserting that “our country suffers because of it, and we’re ending in a different way.”

What You Need to Know

What is birthright citizenship? Birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.”

What do the new executive orders change? The orders create exceptions to automatic citizenship for children born to parents who are non-citizens and fall into specific categories, including foreign government employees, members of terrorist organizations, and those with fraudulent citizenship status.

What is birth tourism? Birth tourism refers to foreign nationals traveling to the United States primarily to give birth, ensuring their children receive American citizenship. The Migration Policy Institute estimates 22,000 to 26,000 such births occur annually.

What legal challenges can be expected? Civil rights organizations and legal experts are likely to challenge the executive orders, arguing they contradict the 14th Amendment’s clear language. The Supreme Court’s previous ruling suggests such challenges have merit.

When do the orders take effect? The executive orders were signed on Thursday and are expected to take effect immediately, though legal challenges may delay implementation in some cases.