Trump takes new shot at birthright citizenship with fresh executive orders


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President Donald Trump is taking another shot at birthright citizenship, signing a pair of executive orders on Thursday designed to succeed where his last attempt failed.

The move comes just weeks after the Supreme Court rejected his broader effort to limit automatic U.S. citizenship.

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What the orders say

One targets what he calls “birth tourism”, which consists of travel to the United States for the purpose of giving birth so a child receives American citizenship.

“If you’re telling a consular officer you’re here as a tourist, but your true purpose and intent is to go to a baby mill, give birth and try to mint an American citizen while you’re here and you’re committing a fraud against the American government,” Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff, said.

Trump added that “hundreds of thousands” of people are taking advantage of birth tourism.

The second order takes a narrower approach to birthright citizenship than his previous order, expanding the list of people who would not qualify.

Miller said the list would include, “alien enemies of the United States, members of foreign terrorist organizations and large categories of people who lobby and act on behalf of foreign governments.’

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

Will the orders stick?

The new orders are expected to face legal challenges of their own.

However, the administration argues they address the concerns raised by the Supreme Court and says it believes they’re constitutional.

“We had a very unfortunate decision in the Supreme Court concerning birthright. It was close, but a very, very unfortunate decision,” Trump said. “So we’re making adjustments because it’s very unfair. This was done for a different reason; this was done right after the Civil War. This was for the babies of slaves. And what’s happening now, if people are building businesses around it… wealthy people are building businesses around birthright citizenship; that’s not the way it’s supposed to work. It’s a disgrace. They’re buying their way in, and we’re not going to let it happen.”

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Why this story matters

Two new executive orders redefine who qualifies for automatic U.S. citizenship at birth, directly affecting foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. to give birth and certain categories of people the administration says are connected to foreign governments or designated terrorist organizations.

Birth tourism targeted

Foreign nationals who travel to the U.S. intending to give birth may, according to the administration, be considered to have committed fraud against the government, though the orders are expected to face legal challenges.

Citizenship eligibility narrowed

The second order expands the categories of people whose U.S.-born children would not automatically receive citizenship, including, Miller said, alien enemies, foreign terrorist organization members and people acting on behalf of foreign governments.

Legal status remains unsettled

The orders are expected to face legal challenges, and the administration's claim that they address Supreme Court concerns is its own assertion, not an independently verified legal determination.

Straight Arrow
Fear No Fact.

Don't just take our word for it.


Center-rated reporting

According to media bias experts at AllSides

AllSides Center-rated reporting May 2026

Transparent and credible

Awarded a perfect reliability rating from NewsGuard

100/100

Welcome back to trustworthy journalism.

Find out more

Bias comparison

  • Media outlets on the left frame the orders as an attack on constitutional norms, using loaded terms like “undermines,” “targeting,” and “snub” to stress Trump’s clash with the Supreme Court and portray the move as a renewed attempt after a “loss.”
  • Not enough unique coverage from media outlets in the center to provide a bias comparison.
  • Media outlets on the right by contrast, present the same actions as a “crackdown” on “birth tourism,” emphasizing loopholes, “defeat,” and enforcement urgency, with the policy cast as a needed correction rather than a constitutional affront.

Media landscape

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Key points from the Left

  • U.S. President Donald Trump signed two executive orders narrowing eligibility for birthright citizenship, targeting children born to certain foreign government employees and those involved in fraudulent citizenship activities.
  • These actions followed the Supreme Court's ruling blocking Trump's earlier broader executive order seeking to restrict birthright citizenship for children of unauthorized or temporary residents.
  • Trump claimed his new orders would be constitutional and focused on limiting automatic citizenship, including efforts to stop birth tourism.
  • Legal experts and immigration advocates argue that the Constitution clearly guarantees birthright citizenship, warning that restrictions could create a second-class population and expect further legal challenges.

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Key points from the Center

  • President Donald Trump signed two executive orders aimed at limiting the scope of birthright citizenship and directing federal agencies to crack down on the commercial "birth tourism" industry, reviving a key immigration policy objective despite previous legal setbacks.
  • One order seeks to deny automatic U.S. Citizenship in certain cases involving children born to parents who allegedly entered or remained in the country through fraudulent use of temporary visas, with the administration arguing that the policy fits within constitutional exceptions.
  • The second order instructs the Departments of State and Homeland Security to develop measures targeting birth tourism operations in the United States and abroad, as federal scrutiny of companies offering such services continues.
  • Legal experts expect the new directives to face immediate court challenges, following the U.S. Supreme Court's June 2026 ruling that struck down Trump's earlier executive order restricting birthright citizenship under the Fourteenth Amendment.

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Key points from the Right

  • President Donald Trump signed executive orders to restrict birthright citizenship for certain children born in the U.S. When neither parent is a U.S. Citizen, including children of foreign diplomats and those associated with birth tourism.
  • The orders aim to enforce stricter rules on birthright citizenship and ban birth tourism by prohibiting obtaining U.S. Visas primarily to give birth on American soil, with enforcement assigned to the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security.
  • Legal experts questioned the enforceability and legality of these orders, noting the Supreme Court's recent ruling broadly protects birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment, and concerns about impacts on citizenship rights in U.S. Territories.
  • Public opinion is divided, with significant opposition to the restrictions, and critics warn the orders may unlawfully affect protections in U.S. Territories like Puerto Rico.

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