One month after the US Supreme Court struck down his first attempt to restrict the guarantee of birthright citizenship enshrined in the US Constitution, Donald Trump signed executive orders on Thursday that aim to deny US citizenship to children born in the United States to so-called "birth tourists". This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.
The orders, which have not yet been made public, apparently expand the definitions of children the White House deems ineligible for birthright citizenship and seek to ban "birth tourism", which the president claimed on Thursday is practiced by "hundreds of thousands" of people.
That seems like a wildly inflated estimate. According to the Migration Policy Institute, the highest census-based estimate "puts birth tourism at 22,000 to 26,000 babies born annually on US soil, although government data show just 9,600 births to mothers with foreign addresses in 2024."
For context, it seems worth keeping in mind that Trump's own father, Fred Trump, was born a US citizen in 1905 to a non-citizen mother who arrived in New York from Germany six months pregnant. The president's Scottish-born mother, Mary Anne Trump, later gave birth to her first two children, the current president's older siblings, in the US before becoming a US citizen herself.
This situation highlights how Trump's own family history contradicts his current policies. The president's father was born to a non-citizen immigrant mother, and his mother gave birth in the US before obtaining citizenship. These facts take on particular significance in the context of the fight against "birth tourism."
The full text of the orders has not yet been published, but experts are questioning their constitutional basis. The 14th Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees citizenship to all persons born on US soil, and the Supreme Court has previously upheld this provision.
The Trump administration's actions represent another step in immigration policy. The president has previously taken several measures aimed at restricting immigration. However, experts believe these orders are unlikely to take legal effect, as they may contradict the Constitution.
The issue of granting citizenship to children born on US soil has been a contentious topic for many years. Some politicians advocate restricting this practice, while others consider it a constitutional right. Trump's new orders may further intensify these debates.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, the phenomenon of "birth tourism" is not as widespread as Trump claims. The institute's research shows that the actual scale of this phenomenon ranges from 22,000 to 26,000 babies, significantly less than the "hundreds of thousands" the president claims.
This situation is another example of Trump's immigration policy. The president promised to restrict immigration during his election campaign. Now he is trying to fulfill these promises but faces legal obstacles.
US citizenship legislation is very complex, and changes require the support of Congress and the Supreme Court. Trump's orders are implemented only through the executive branch, which casts doubt on their legal force.
According to experts, these orders will be challenged in court, and their fate is uncertain. However, the Trump administration is demonstrating its readiness to use all means to implement its policies.
This event marks an important stage in the development of US immigration policy. Its outcome could affect the lives of many people, which is why this issue is drawing public attention.