U.S. President Donald Trump has issued two executive orders in a renewed effort to restrict birthright citizenship, focusing on what the administration calls “birth tourism.” This move comes after the Supreme Court rejected a previous attempt by Trump to address the issue.
Birthright citizenship limitations have been a key aspect of the president’s immigration policies, with a particular emphasis on pregnant foreigners traveling to the U.S. to give birth. While Trump initially called on Congress to take action following the Supreme Court setback in June, he has now resorted to executive orders, which do not hold the same legal weight as congressional laws.
The administration argues that the new directive, unlike the previous one struck down by the Supreme Court, aims to reinterpret historical exceptions to birthright citizenship narrowly and expand the criteria of who is ineligible for citizenship at birth.
During the signing ceremony in the Oval Office, White House aide Stephen Miller announced the prohibition of birth tourism under the new orders. A study by the U.S.-based Center for Immigration Studies estimated that between 20,000 and 25,000 mothers engaged in birth tourism in a year-long period between 2016 and 2017 out of 3.6 million total births in the U.S. in 2025.
In addition to targeting birth tourism, the executive orders also impact the citizenship rights of children born to foreign government employees in the U.S. and the offspring of individuals classified as alien enemies. If Congress passes a proposed law to end automatic citizenship in U.S. territories, these orders could also affect individuals born there.
Legal experts anticipate that Trump’s latest orders will face legal challenges, with some questioning their impact following the Supreme Court ruling. Critics, including immigrant advocates and civil rights organizations, view the executive orders as an attempt to circumvent the court’s decision on birthright citizenship.
Trump expressed disappointment with the Supreme Court ruling, describing it as “unfortunate,” and criticized the practice of birth tourism, emphasizing the need to prevent individuals from gaining citizenship through such means.
The president’s prior executive order, issued in 2025, aimed to restrict birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to non-American citizen parents. While the 14th Amendment traditionally guarantees citizenship for most individuals born in the U.S., Trump’s recent actions have reignited debates over the interpretation of this constitutional provision.
Overall, the new executive orders on birthright citizenship are expected to spark further legal debates and challenges as the administration seeks to redefine the parameters of who is entitled to citizenship at birth in the United States.