United States President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to end birthright citizenship, a right enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and upheld by the Supreme Court for over a century. The move has sparked immediate backlash, with legal experts and advocacy groups challenging its validity.
On Monday, President Trump introduced a series of executive actions to alter federal immigration and border policies. These measures, including the order on birthright citizenship, are expected to face fierce legal battles.
Speaking on the matter, Trump stated, “As commander in chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions, and that is what I’m going to do.”
The issue centers around the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which declares, “All persons born or naturalised in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
Historically, this clause has been interpreted to grant citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
However, the new directive instructs federal agencies to halt the issuance of passports, citizenship certificates, and other documents for children born in the U.S. to mothers who are undocumented, on temporary visas, or fathers without legal status.
The order specifies that this change will not apply retroactively and will take effect in 30 days.
Almost immediately, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other advocacy organizations filed lawsuits, arguing that the executive order violates the Constitution. “This is an unprecedented attack on the fundamental rights of individuals born in the United States,” an ACLU spokesperson said.
President Trump also invoked what he described as extraordinary presidential powers to suspend asylum laws, citing concerns about a migrant “invasion” at the southern border. The directive allows officials to restrict migrants’ entry into the U.S., suspending asylum protections until further notice.
