Trump targets birthright citizenship with new executive orders

The update

President Donald Trump has signed two executive orders seeking to limit birthright citizenship, weeks after the Supreme Court rejected his previous attempt to restrict the practice. The orders, signed on Thursday, are narrower than his initial 2025 order. One expands the narrow exception to birthright citizenship, which currently excludes children of foreign diplomats or invading forces. The new order also excludes children of alleged terrorists, those deemed to be attempting to purchase citizenship, and certain people born in US territories. The second order directs the secretaries of state and homeland security to halt so-called birth tourism, the practice of mothers traveling to the US for the sole purpose of giving birth.

Why it matters

Birthright citizenship is a 150-year-old constitutional right granted to nearly all children born on US soil. The new orders represent a significant shift in how this right is interpreted and applied, potentially affecting families across the country and in US territories. The administration frames these changes as necessary to guard against malign foreign actors and prevent the “swindling” of American citizens.

What to watch

Legal challenges are expected immediately, as both orders attempt to reinterpret the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. The administration’s ability to implement these changes without facing further judicial hurdles remains an open question. Families and expectant mothers planning US births should monitor how these orders are enforced and whether they will be subject to immediate injunctions.

Sources

• bbc.co.uk — Details on the two executive orders, the Supreme Court rejection, and the administration's framing of the policy.
• aljazeera.com — Context on the previous Supreme Court ruling and the specific groups targeted by the new orders.