United States President Donald Trump has said the principle of birthright citizenship was originally created to protect the children of formerly enslaved people and not, as he put it, for “wealthy foreigners” who travel to America to give birth.
Trump made the remarks in an interview with Politico while defending the executive order he issued on his first day back in office in January 2025. The order seeks to end automatic citizenship for children born on American soil. He warned that it would be “devastating” if the Supreme Court eventually rules against his administration.
According to Trump, the legal basis for birthright citizenship “had everything to do with the babies of slaves” during the post Civil War period. He argued that the provision was never meant for people who visit the United States briefly to secure citizenship for their children. He added that he believed judges “understand it, too.”
The 14th Amendment, adopted in 1868, states that anyone born or naturalised in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction is a citizen. It was enacted to guarantee citizenship for formerly enslaved people and others born in the country.
Following Trump’s order in January, the administration announced that babies born more than 30 days after the inauguration would no longer automatically receive citizenship. The directive immediately triggered multiple legal challenges and several federal courts issued temporary blocks on its enforcement.
In June, the Supreme Court ruled that lower courts did not have the authority to impose broad nationwide injunctions on an executive order. The decision cleared the path for the justices to consider the constitutionality of Trump’s directive.
Trump has argued that ending birthright citizenship is necessary for economic reasons, saying the United States “cannot afford to house tens of millions of people.”
The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in the coming months. The outcome is likely to have major implications for America’s immigration system and how the 14th Amendment is interpreted.
