Trump Issues Two Executive Orders on Birthright Citizenship

President Donald J. Trump signed two executive orders on Tuesday that seek to restrict the application of birthright citizenship to children born in the United States to foreign parents. The orders, issued under the authority of the Immigration and Nationality Act, direct the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security to reinterpret the 14th Amendment’s citizenship clause, limiting eligibility to children whose parents are lawful permanent residents or citizens and excluding those whose parents are in the country illegally. The orders also empower the Attorney General to pursue civil and criminal actions against individuals who claim citizenship under the current interpretation of the amendment.

The measures come amid a broader debate over immigration policy and the constitutional basis of birthright citizenship. Legal scholars and civil‑rights groups have criticized the orders as a potential violation of the 14th Amendment, while supporters argue they are necessary to curb illegal immigration. The orders will be reviewed by the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel before implementation, and the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to weigh in on the proposed reinterpretation.