Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship—a right enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and upheld by the Supreme Court for more than a century. The sweeping directive, announced Monday, requires federal agencies to stop issuing passports and other citizenship documents to children born on U.S. soil to parents who are not citizens or legal permanent residents.
The 14th Amendment explicitly grants citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States,” yet Trump contends his measure leverages his powers as commander in chief to address illegal immigration and perceived national security threats. The order would not apply retroactively and is set to take effect in 30 days, but civil liberties groups, led by the American Civil Liberties Union, filed a lawsuit within hours of its release.
Trump’s move also included extraordinary measures to curtail asylum claims, citing the need to repel an “invasion” at the southern border. His directive grants officials the authority to “repel, repatriate, or remove” migrants, effectively suspending adherence to established American asylum laws until he declares the border crisis resolved.
Critics argue that the order violates the Constitution and a longstanding interpretation of the 14th Amendment, predicting it will fail in court. Nonetheless, the White House asserts that unprecedented executive action is necessary to protect public health, national security, and the integrity of U.S. citizenship.
