The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025 outlines the criteria for acquiring U.S. citizenship at birth, limiting it to children born in the country who have at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen or national, a lawful permanent resident, or an active-duty member of the armed forces.
Former President Donald Trump has argued that birthright citizenship was originally intended for the descendants of enslaved individuals rather than for broad international immigration. On his first day back in office, he signed an executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship, but it was quickly overturned by a federal court in Seattle. Trump has vowed to appeal the ruling and expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would support his position.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump reiterated his stance:
“Birthright citizenship was meant for the children of slaves, not for the entire world to come in and pile into the United States. Unqualified people and their children were never the intended beneficiaries of this policy.”
A group of Republican Senators, including Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz, and Katie Britt, recently introduced a bill to further limit birthright citizenship, particularly for children of illegal immigrants and temporary visa holders. They argue that unrestricted birthright citizenship incentivizes illegal immigration and poses security risks.
According to the Center for Immigration Studies, an estimated 225,000 to 250,000 births in 2023 were to undocumented immigrants, accounting for nearly 7% of all births in the U.S. The U.S. remains one of only 33 countries worldwide that offer unrestricted birthright citizenship.
The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025 applies only to children born after its enactment and aims to redefine the scope of automatic citizenship in the United States.
