President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly planning to end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to undocumented parents. According to an incoming White House official, the policy change will be enacted through an executive order after Trump officially takes office.
The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution grants citizenship to anyone born on American soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. However, the official stated Monday that the federal government under Trump’s administration “will not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States.”
While Trump and his supporters have long criticized birthright citizenship as a “loophole” encouraging illegal immigration, legal experts argue that such a policy change would require a constitutional amendment or a landmark Supreme Court decision. The executive order would almost certainly face immediate legal challenges.
This development comes as Trump prepares to take the oath of office, doubling down on his hardline stance against immigration—one of the key promises of his campaign. Immigration advocates and civil rights groups are already pushing back, calling the move unconstitutional and warning of its impact on millions of families.
