President Donald Trump signed two executive orders Thursday aimed at restricting birthright citizenship, launching a narrower effort to reshape who automatically becomes an American citizen when born in the United States. The new actions come after the Supreme Court rejected an earlier administration attempt to limit the constitutional guarantee.
One of the orders targets what the administration calls “birth tourism,” the practice of traveling to the United States primarily to give birth so that a child receives U.S. citizenship. The order directs federal agencies to strengthen enforcement against the practice and calls for greater scrutiny of people believed to be entering the country for that purpose.
The second order takes a broader approach to citizenship eligibility, directing federal agencies to restrict recognition of birthright citizenship in additional circumstances involving parents who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. The administration argues that the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of citizenship to people born in the United States and “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” has been interpreted too broadly.
Trump previously attempted to restrict birthright citizenship through an executive order issued when he returned to office in January 2025. That effort triggered an extended legal battle, culminating in a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that prevented the administration from implementing the policy as planned. The new orders appear designed to pursue some of the same goals through a more targeted approach.
Another round of court challenges is expected. Birthright citizenship has been recognized for generations under the 14th Amendment, and opponents of Trump’s policy argue that a president cannot substantially change that constitutional protection through executive action. The administration, however, is signaling that it intends to keep testing the boundaries of the law as it pursues one of Trump’s most consequential immigration priorities.
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Related:
Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship in Landmark Constitutional Ruling
Birthright Citizenship Fight Returns to Supreme Court in High-Stakes Legal Clash
