US President Donald Trump has signed two new executive orders aimed at restricting birthright citizenship, reviving one of his administration’s most contentious immigration policies just weeks after the US Supreme Court struck down an earlier, broader attempt.
The orders, signed on Thursday, seek to narrow the scope of automatic citizenship for certain children born in the United States while also cracking down on so-called “birth tourism” the practice of foreign nationals travelling to the US to give birth so their children acquire American citizenship.
Under one executive order, the administration argues that children born to foreign diplomats, foreign government personnel, individuals classified as enemy aliens or terrorists, and some cases involving alleged citizenship fraud should not automatically qualify for US citizenship. The White House maintains that these categories fall outside the protections of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.
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The second order directs the Departments of State and Homeland Security to tighten visa screening to identify and deter birth tourism. Officials will be authorised to deny or revoke visas where applicants are found to have travelled to the United States primarily to secure citizenship for a child through birth on American soil.
The latest measures come after the Supreme Court ruled on 30 June that Trump’s earlier executive order attempting to broadly restrict birthright citizenship was unconstitutional, reaffirming the long-standing interpretation of the 14th Amendment that nearly all people born on US soil are American citizens.
President Trump has argued that the new orders are significantly narrower and designed to address what his administration describes as loopholes in the current immigration system rather than overturn constitutional protections outright.
However, immigration advocates, constitutional scholars and civil rights organisations have strongly criticised the move, arguing that the new directives still conflict with the Constitution and established legal precedent. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other advocacy groups are expected to challenge the orders in federal court, setting the stage for another major legal battle over birthright citizenship.
Birthright citizenship has remained a central issue in Trump’s immigration agenda since his return to office. While the administration says the new executive orders target only limited exceptions, opponents argue they represent another attempt to weaken a constitutional right that has existed for more than a century. Whether the latest measures can withstand judicial scrutiny will likely be decided by the courts in the months ahead.Trump Signs New Order Targeting Birthright Citizenship
