Trump signs orders targeting birthright citizenship, birth tourism

President Donald Trump has signed two executive orders aimed at curbing birthright citizenship and birth tourism, asserting his administration is "cracking down very big" on perceived abuses of the U.S. immigration system. Trump expressed disappointment with a recent Supreme Court ruling concerning birthright citizenship, stating, "We're cracking down very big... this will give us the right to do it in a much more forceful manner. They've taken birthright citizenship, and they've made a joke out of it."

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We're cracking down very big... this will give us the right to do it in a much more forceful manner. They've taken birthright citizenship, and they've made a joke out of it.

The first executive order identifies categories of children born to foreign nationals who may not be entitled to birthright citizenship, referencing historical exceptions recognized by the Supreme Court. The second order directs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to halt birth tourism, a practice where foreign nationals travel to the U.S. primarily to give birth and obtain U.S. citizenship for their child.

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The 14th Amendment was passed exclusively in the aftermath of the Civil War to ensure that the children of slaves would be citizens. It had no other meaning and purpose outside of that.

White House adviser Stephen Miller argued that the 14th Amendment was originally intended solely to grant citizenship to the children of former slaves. He stated the President is using his authority to expand categories of individuals ineligible for birthright citizenship, including "alien enemies" and members of foreign terrorist organizations. Miller described the ban on birth tourism as a "historic step," asserting that for the first time, it is prohibited to obtain a visa for this "fraudulent purpose."

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For the first time ever in American history, birth tourism is banned. No one in the world is allowed to obtain a visa for this fraudulent purpose. This ends one of the gravest abuses of the American system and keeps American citizenship sacred.

White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf defended the legality of the measures, claiming they utilize "legally validated means" and do not conflict with Supreme Court opinions on the matter. These executive actions follow a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

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What we're doing is taking legally validated means that are clearly within our disposal and targeting them squarely onto this birth tourism industry. There's absolutely nothing in here that runs afoul of any of the Supreme Court's opinions on the subject.