Trump: Birthright citizenship not intended for foreign births
US President Donald Trump has reiterated his stance that birthright citizenship was created to protect the children of enslaved people—not, in his words, for “wealthy foreigners” who travel to the United States to give birth.
Speaking in an interview with Politico, Trump defended the executive order he signed on his first day back in office in January 2025, which seeks to end automatic citizenship for children born on US soil. He warned that a Supreme Court ruling against his administration would be “devastating.”
Trump argued that the legal foundation of birthright citizenship dates back to the Civil War era and “had everything to do with the babies of slaves.” He insisted the 14th Amendment was not designed to apply to “some rich person coming from another country” whose family gains citizenship by giving birth in the US. He added that he believes the judiciary “understands it, too.”
The 14th Amendment, adopted in 1868, declares that “all persons born or naturalised in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” It was intended to secure citizenship rights for formerly enslaved people and others born within US territory.
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Following Trump’s executive order, the administration announced that any baby born in the US more than 30 days after his inauguration would no longer automatically receive citizenship. The move triggered numerous legal challenges, with federal courts initially blocking its enforcement.
In June, the Supreme Court ruled that lower courts lacked the authority to issue nationwide injunctions to stop the order, clearing the path for the justices to determine its constitutionality.
Trump has also framed his push as an economic necessity, claiming the US “cannot afford to house tens of millions of people.”
The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in the coming months, and its decision could reshape immigration policy and redefine the interpretation of the 14th Amendment for generations.
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