US President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Thursday aimed at restricting birthright citizenship.
The orders target the commercial birth tourism industry and aim to deny citizenship to children born in the United States as a result. This includes children born to mothers who enter the country expressly and deceptively for the sole purpose of using birth-tourism centers, including the use of surrogate mothers.
The measures also target children born to foreign diplomatic staff working on behalf of another government in the United States. Additionally, the orders target children of people classified as alien enemies, which includes those belonging to federally declared terrorist groups.
Legal challenges and administration stance
The U.S. Supreme Court previously struck down a broader executive order signed by Donald Trump on his Inauguration Day, which sought to deny automatic citizenship to those born of noncitizens in the U.S.
Donald Trump told reporters that he believed the new orders were legal despite that Supreme Court ruling. A White House staffer stated during the unveiling event that there was 'absolutely nothing' that would run 'afoul' of the recent court ruling.
The U.S. administration argues that the Supreme Court ruling still grants the president authority to limit birthright citizenship under longstanding exceptions recognized by the court.
Implementation and oversight
A second executive order directs the U.S. Secretary of State and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary to issue rules and guidance to stop birth tourism.
The U.S. House Oversight Committee is investigating birth tourism centers and requested documents from a company called 'Have My Baby in Miami' in May. The committee expressed concerns that the birth tourism industry, involving expectant mothers traveling predominantly from China and Russia, poses potential national security and election integrity threats.
The benefits of U.S. citizenship are a unique privilege.
— US House Oversight Committee
Republicans argue that birth tourism is a massive source of fraud. Estimates of the number of children resulting from birth tourism range from the low thousands to the tens of thousands.
Policy context
Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on March 30 that birthright citizenship is not about people from China and the rest of the world who want their children to become citizens for pay.
Stephen Miller, the architect of Donald Trump's deportation program, was present at the ceremony where the orders were unveiled.
The executive orders may apply to those born in U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico, if Congress changes the law to end automatic citizenship there.
If birth tourism is a problem, the answer is to enforce that regulation.
— Amanda Frost, University of Virginia immigration law professor
Updates
The White House has expanded the scope of the executive orders to include members of foreign terrorist organizations and foreign government lobbyists as ineligible for birthright citizenship, with Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller claiming the second order constitutes the first-ever U.S. ban on birth tourism — though he cited Section 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to label it fraud, while government data recorded 9,600 such births in 2024, far below Trump’s claim of hundreds of thousands and the Migration Policy Institute’s estimate of 22,000–26,000 annually.
The White House now expands the scope of the executive orders to include members of foreign terrorist organizations and foreign government lobbyists as ineligible for birthright citizenship, with Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller claiming the second order is the first-ever U.S. ban on birth tourism—though government data shows only 9,600 such births in 2024, while the president cites hundreds of thousands, and the Migration Policy Institute estimates 22,000–26,000 annually.
The White House has expanded the scope of birthright citizenship restrictions to include members of foreign terrorist organizations and foreign government lobbyists, with Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller claiming the second order marks the first-ever U.S. ban on birth tourism — though government data recorded only 9,600 such births in 2024, while the Migration Policy Institute estimates a high of 26,000 annually, contradicting Trump’s claim of hundreds of thousands.
The White House has expanded the scope of the executive order to include members of foreign terrorist organizations and foreign government lobbyists as ineligible for birthright citizenship, while also announcing a first-ever ban on birth tourism; officials now deny visas to both individuals seeking to give birth in the U.S. for citizenship purposes and those who organize such trips, alongside extending social media profile checks to foreign journalists and certain Mexican and Canadian nationals — a move tied to broader visa screening reforms, though the administration’s claim of hundreds of thousands practicing birth tourism contradicts government data showing only 9,600 such births in 2024
The White House has expanded the scope of the executive order to include members of foreign terrorist organizations and foreign government lobbyists as ineligible for birthright citizenship, while also banning birth tourism for the first time in U.S. history, according to Stephen Miller, who cited Section 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and called it 'a fraud on the American system'; additionally, visa applicants—including foreign journalists, Mexicans, and Canadians—will now face expanded social media profile checks, and foreign journalists’ stays may be limited to 240 days under pending rules.
The White House has expanded the scope of the executive orders to include members of foreign terrorist organizations and foreign government lobbyists as ineligible for birthright citizenship, while also announcing a first-ever ban on birth tourism itself — a move contradicted by government data showing only 9,600 such births in 2024, despite Trump’s claim of hundreds of thousands, and experts labeling the phenomenon marginal compared to over 250,000 annual births to undocumented or temporary residents.
The White House has expanded the scope of the first executive order to deny birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is a member of a designated foreign terrorist organization or acts on behalf of a foreign government, a category now explicitly tied to 'alien enemy' status under federal law, while also announcing a new policy to deny visas to both individuals seeking birth tourism and those who organize such trips — a move Stephen Miller called 'the first time ever in American history to ban birth tourism,' though officials acknowledge the practice affects fewer than 10,000 births annually, contrary to Trump’s claim of hundreds of thousands.
The White House has expanded the scope of the first executive order to deny birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is a member of a designated foreign terrorist organization or acts on behalf of a foreign government, a category now explicitly tied to the legal term 'alien enemies'; additionally, the administration is extending social media profile checks to visa applicants from Mexico, Canada, and foreign journalists, aiming to screen for intent to engage in birth tourism or other visa violations, while officials cite a 2024 figure of 9,600 births to foreign-resident mothers—far below Trump’s claim of hundreds of thousands.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, specifically targeting those whose parents are classified as 'alien enemies'—including members of designated foreign terrorist organizations—while the second order, described by Stephen Miller as the first-ever ban on birth tourism, aims to block visas for both participants and organizers of such trips, though administration claims of hundreds of thousands of birth tourists contradict government data showing only 9,600 such births in 2024 and expert estimates of 22,000–26,000 annually.
The White House has expanded the scope of the first executive order to deny birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is a member of a designated foreign terrorist organization or acts on behalf of a foreign government, a move Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller described as targeting 'the most serious and blatant abuses' of American law, while also announcing new visa restrictions targeting birth tourism organizers and extending social media profile checks to foreign journalists and certain Mexican and Canadian nationals — all part of a broader hardening of immigration policy under President Trump, who claims the actions are constitutional despite legal and data-
The White House has expanded the scope of the first executive order to deny birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is a member of a designated foreign terrorist organization or acts on behalf of a foreign government, a move Stephen Miller called a direct application of Section 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, while also announcing for the first time a ban on birth tourism via the second order — though government data shows only 9,600 such births in 2024, far below Trump’s claim of hundreds of thousands.
The White House has expanded the scope of the first executive order to deny birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is a member of a designated foreign terrorist organization or acts on behalf of a foreign government, a move confirmed by Stephen Miller, who also labeled birth tourism as 'a fraud on the American system' under Section 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, while the administration now explicitly bans birth tourism for the first time in U.S. history and extends social media profile checks to foreign journalists and certain Mexican and Canadian visa applicants to screen for intent to exploit birthright citizenship.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending the definition of 'alien enemies' to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals lobbying for foreign governments — a broadening beyond the initial scope of foreign diplomats and 'birth tourists,' as confirmed by White House advisor Stephen Miller, who also cited Section 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to label birth tourism as 'a fraud on the American system,' while the administration announced new visa denials for both participants and organizers of such trips.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category expanded to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a shift from the initial focus on non-citizen parents alone; additionally, the administration announced an extension of social media profile checks to visa applicants from Mexico, Canada, and foreign journalists, building on prior requirements for students and exchange visitors.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. when either parent is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category expanded to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a shift from the initial focus on birth tourists and diplomats; additionally, the administration has extended social media profile checks to visa applicants including foreign journalists and certain nationals from Mexico and Canada, aiming to screen for visa fraud and security risks.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. when neither parent is a citizen, extending the definition of 'alien enemies' to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals lobbying for foreign governments—expanding beyond the original scope of foreign diplomats; meanwhile, the administration claims the second order marks the first-ever ban on birth tourism, despite government data showing only 9,600 such births in 2024, contradicting Trump’s claim of hundreds of thousands.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending the exclusion to those whose parents are classified as 'alien enemies'—including members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a scope expanded beyond the initial focus on birth tourists; additionally, the administration will now deny visas not only to individuals seeking birth tourism but also to those who organize such trips, while extending mandatory social media profile checks to foreign journalists and certain Mexican and Canadian nationals as part of a broader visa crackdown.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending eligibility restrictions to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments — a broadening beyond the initial focus on birth tourists and diplomats, while the administration cites Section 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to frame birth tourism as legal fraud, despite government data showing only 9,600 such births in 2024 and experts calling it a marginal phenomenon compared to over 250,000 births to undocumented or temporary residents.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category expanded to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a move Stephen Miller described as targeting 'large categories of people who lobby and act on behalf of foreign governments,' while the administration also announced an expansion of social media profile checks to include foreign journalists and certain nationals from Mexico and Canada, building on prior requirements for students and exchange visitors.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending the exclusion to those whose parents are classified as 'alien enemies'—including members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a scope broader than the initial focus on birth tourists; additionally, the administration has expanded social media profile checks to include foreign journalists and certain nationals from Mexico and Canada, reinforcing its broader migration crackdown.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category expanded to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a move Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller called a historic first in banning birth tourism, despite government data showing only 9,600 such births in 2024 and experts labeling the phenomenon marginal compared to over 250,000 annual births to undocumented or temporary residents.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. when either parent is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category that includes members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals labeled as global terrorists, expanding beyond the initial focus on birth tourists and diplomats; additionally, the administration has extended social media profile checks to visa applicants from Mexico, Canada, and foreign journalists, aiming to screen for intent to exploit birthright citizenship, a policy shift confirmed by internal State Department documents shared by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category expanded to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a shift from the initial focus on birth tourists alone; additionally, the administration has extended social media profile checks to visa applicants including foreign journalists and certain nationals from Mexico and Canada, part of a broader policy hardening that also proposes limiting foreign journalists' stays to 240 days.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category expanded to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a move Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said targets 'large categories of people' previously not covered, while the administration also announced extended social media profile checks for visa applicants including foreign journalists and certain Mexican and Canadian nationals to prevent visa fraud.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending eligibility restrictions to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments — a broader application than previously stated, and directly contradicts the Supreme Court’s June 30 ruling affirming birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment for children of parents present illegally or temporarily.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen — extending the exclusion to those whose parents are classified as 'alien enemies,' including members of designated foreign terrorist organizations or individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a scope broader than previously reported; additionally, the administration has expanded social media profile checks for visa applicants to include foreign journalists and certain nationals from Mexico and Canada, aiming to screen for intent to engage in birth tourism or other visa fraud.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending the exclusion to those whose parents are classified as 'alien enemies'—including members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and foreign government lobbyists, a scope broader than previously reported; additionally, the administration announced an expansion of social media profile checks to visa applicants from Mexico, Canada, and foreign journalists, aiming to screen for intent to engage in birth tourism or other visa fraud.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending eligibility restrictions to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments — a broader scope than previously reported, while the administration also announced expanded social media checks for visa applicants, now including foreign journalists and certain Mexican and Canadian nationals, in furtherance of its tightened migration policy.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending eligibility restrictions to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments — a broader scope than previously outlined, while the administration also announced expanded social media vetting for visa applicants, including foreign journalists and certain Mexican and Canadian nationals, to prevent entry for birth tourism purposes.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen and either is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category expanded to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals lobbying for foreign governments, a move Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller described as targeting 'the most serious and blatant abuses' of American law, while the administration also announced extended social media profile checks for visa applicants including foreign journalists and certain Mexican and Canadian nationals, part of a broader hardening of migration policy.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending eligibility restrictions to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments — a broadening beyond the initial focus on birth tourists and diplomats, while the administration cites Section 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to label birth tourism as fraud, despite government data showing only 9,600 such births in 2024 and expert estimates of 22,000–26,000 annually.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending eligibility restrictions to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments — a broader scope than previously reported, while the administration also announced expanded social media profile checks for visa applicants, now including foreign journalists and certain nationals from Mexico and Canada, as part of a broader migration policy hardening.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. when either parent is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category expanded to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a move Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller called a historic first in banning birth tourism, though government data shows only 9,600 such births in 2024, far below Trump’s claim of hundreds of thousands.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen — expanding the definition of 'alien enemies' to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a move Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller claims targets 'large categories' beyond birth tourists, while the administration also announced expanded social media profile checks for visa applicants, now including foreign journalists and certain Mexican and Canadian nationals, alongside plans to limit foreign journalists' stays to 240 days.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category that includes members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals labeled as global terrorists, expanding beyond the initial focus on birth tourists and diplomats; additionally, the administration is extending social media profile checks to new visa applicant categories, including foreign journalists and certain nationals from Mexico and Canada, as part of a broader hardening of migration policy.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category expanded to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a shift from the initial focus on birth tourists and diplomats; additionally, the administration is extending social media profile checks to visa applicants from Mexico, Canada, and foreign journalists, a new layer of screening not previously disclosed.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category expanded to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a shift from the initial focus on birth tourists and diplomats; additionally, the administration is extending social media profile checks to visa applicants from Mexico, Canada, and foreign journalists, a new layer of vetting previously applied only to students and exchange participants.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending eligibility restrictions to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments — a broadening beyond the initial focus on birth tourists and diplomats, while the administration cites Section 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to frame birth tourism as legal fraud, despite government data showing only 9,600 such births in 2024 versus Trump’s claim of hundreds of thousands.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending eligibility restrictions to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments — a broader scope than previously reported — while the administration also announced expanded social media profile checks for visa applicants, now including foreign journalists and certain nationals from Mexico and Canada, alongside new visa denials for those organizing birth tourism trips.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category expanded to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, while the second order marks the first-ever U.S. ban on birth tourism, despite government data showing only 9,600 such births in 2024, far below Trump’s claim of hundreds of thousands.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending the definition of 'alien enemies' to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals lobbying for foreign governments — a broadening beyond the original scope of diplomatic status, while the administration claims the second order marks the first-ever ban on birth tourism, despite government data showing only 9,600 such births in 2024, far below Trump’s claim of hundreds of thousands.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if either parent is classified as an 'alien enemy'—a category expanded to include members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, a shift from the initial focus on birth tourists and diplomats; additionally, social media profile checks for visa applicants have been extended to foreign journalists and certain nationals from Mexico and Canada, with visa denials now also targeting those who organize birth tourism trips.
The first executive order now explicitly denies birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a citizen, extending eligibility restrictions to include individuals classified as 'alien enemies'—such as members of designated foreign terrorist organizations and foreign government lobbyists—while the second order, described by Stephen Miller as the first-ever ban on birth tourism, targets both participants and organizers of such trips, despite government data showing only 9,600 such births in 2024, far below Trump’s claim of hundreds of thousands.
