Trump Attempts to Restrict Birthright Citizenship Again

President Donald Trump announced efforts to once more limit the number of people who become American citizens by birth. Despite a Supreme Court ruling against his first attempt, Trump remains determined. He plans to sign two executive orders focusing on immigration.

The first order aims to restrict birthright citizenship. It targets specific groups, such as children born to foreign embassy employees or those considered ‘alien enemies.’ It also includes individuals whose parents acquired citizenship fraudulently.

The second order addresses ‘birth tourism.’ It seeks to increase visa restrictions on visitors aiming to give birth in the U.S. These measures reflect the administration’s focus on controlling who gains American citizenship.

The effectiveness of Trump’s latest attempt remains uncertain. He believes the actions are constitutional and expressed dissatisfaction with the Supreme Court’s prior decision. “Our country suffers because of it, and we’re ending it a different way,” Trump stated.

A 2026 Migration Policy Institute article noted visa fraud related to childbirth already constitutes a valid reason for visa denial. Previous administrations have targeted ‘birth tourism’ through legal actions against women concealing pregnancies for childbirth in the U.S.

Birthright citizenship remains a significant point in Trump’s anti-immigration policy. Supporters of the policy claim it attracts immigration and should focus only on those valuing U.S. citizenship. Opponents, including immigration advocates, argue the Constitution’s clear guidelines on citizenship benefit the nation.

While the Trump administration highlights ‘birth tourism’ as problematic, official numbers are scarce. An estimated 26,000 births each year may fall under this category, according to the MPI article, amidst 3.5 million total U.S. births.

In June, the Supreme Court maintained birthright citizenship, rejecting Trump’s previous efforts to deny citizenship to children of temporary or undocumented individuals in the U.S. The American Civil Liberties Union predicts similar outcomes for Trump’s recent order.

“The Supreme Court already decided this issue: Birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the Constitution. No additional executive order can change the meaning of the Constitution. Any executive order that tries to rewrite birthright citizenship will meet the same fate as the last one,” said Cody Wofsy, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project.

On the first day of his second term, Trump attempted to revoke birthright citizenship via executive order. Legal challenges arose swiftly, citing conflict with the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. with few exceptions. Lower courts blocked the order, preventing its implementation.

In June, the Supreme Court overturned Trump’s order with a 6-3 vote. Legal observers and advocates expressed concern as the decision, though decisive, brought attention to ongoing debates on birthright citizenship’s constitutional protection.