US President Donald Trump has renewed his administration's efforts to tighten immigration rules by signing two executive orders aimed at restricting birth tourism and limiting the scope of birthright citizenship in the United States.
One of the executive orders targets birth tourism, a practice in which foreign nationals travel to the US on temporary visas primarily to give birth so their child automatically becomes a US citizen. The order directs the Departments of State and Homeland Security to strengthen visa screening and crack down on businesses that promote or facilitate birth tourism.
The second order seeks to narrow eligibility for birthright citizenship in certain cases, including children born to parents accused of obtaining entry through fraud or falling within specific legal exceptions recognized by the administration. Trump argues that the current system is being misused and that the new measures are intended to protect the value of American citizenship.
However, the move is expected to trigger another legal battle. The 14th Amendment of the US Constitution has long been interpreted as granting citizenship to nearly everyone born on US soil, and the Supreme Court recently rejected Trump's broader attempt to end birthright citizenship. Legal experts and immigrant rights groups argue that the new executive orders may also face constitutional challenges in federal courts.
The White House says the new orders are designed to close loopholes, prevent abuse of the immigration system, and preserve the integrity of US citizenship. The administration is expected to issue detailed implementation guidelines in the coming weeks.
