US President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order targeting so-called “birth tourism,” marking his latest attempt to limit birthright citizenship despite a recent US Supreme Court ruling reaffirming constitutional protections for children born on American soil.
Trump signed the order on Thursday at the White House, describing the practice of travelling to the United States primarily to give birth as an abuse of the country’s immigration system.
“They’ve taken birthright citizenship, and they’ve made a joke out of it,” the president told reporters in the Oval Office after signing the directive.
The executive action directs federal agencies to strengthen measures against birth tourism, while also expanding categories of people whose US-born children could be denied automatic citizenship under the administration’s interpretation of existing constitutional exceptions.
White House adviser Stephen Miller said the order targets individuals who enter the United States under false pretences to obtain citizenship for their children. He added that it would also apply to children linked to members of designated foreign terrorist organisations and certain individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments.
The move comes weeks after the Supreme Court rejected the administration’s earlier attempt to restrict birthright citizenship, ruling that the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment continues to protect nearly everyone born in the United States.
Trump criticised the decision, describing it as “very unfortunate” and saying his administration was making adjustments to address what it considers unfair exploitation of US immigration laws.
The 14th Amendment provides that all persons born or naturalised in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction are American citizens. Long-standing constitutional interpretation excludes only limited categories, such as children of foreign diplomats.
The administration has consistently argued that the amendment should not extend automatic citizenship to children born to undocumented migrants or temporary visitors, a position that has repeatedly been challenged in court.
The latest executive orders form part of Trump’s broader immigration agenda, which includes tightening border controls, expanding deportations and restricting access to immigration benefits.
Legal experts expect the new measures to face immediate court challenges, setting up another battle over the limits of executive power and the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship.
