Donald Trump Targets Birthright Citizenship Once Again, New Orders Aim To Curb Birth Tourism

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed two new executive orders regarding birthright citizenship and birth tourism. According to the White House, the purpose of these orders is to tighten the rules on cases in which children born in America automatically get citizenship. Besides, action will also be taken against those foreign citizens who come to America only for the purpose of getting American citizenship for their child.

What is birthright citizenship, and why does Trump want to change it?

This system has been in force in America for so long that a child born on the country's soil is generally considered an American citizen. This right is linked to the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.

Donald Trump says that many people are taking advantage of this system. He has long advocated limiting the rules for birthright citizenship. Even before this, their efforts have faced challenges in the courts, after which the administration has taken this step with a new strategy.

Who may be affected by the new orders?

The new executive order specifically targets cases where the child's parents are not US citizens and are living in the US on a temporary visa or are present illegally.

The Trump administration claims that the existing system is being misused. However, civil rights organizations believe that these orders are against the spirit of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution and can be challenged in court.

What is berth tourism, in which Trump showed strictness?

Birth tourism is the process in which foreign women go to America just to give birth to a child so that the child can get American citizenship at birth.

The Trump administration has taken a tough stance on this too. There is no law in the US that completely prohibits birth tourism in every case, but if a person uses a tourist or business visa primarily for the purpose of obtaining US citizenship for a child, they may be subject to action.

What action will the government take in these cases?

Under the new policy, visa applications will be scrutinised more thoroughly. In cases where authorities suspect that the main purpose of coming to the United States is to obtain citizenship by giving birth to a child, strict investigation and legal action may be taken.

Why has this issue come into discussion again?

According to studies related to immigration, every year thousands of foreign women arrive in America for the purpose of giving birth to a child. After Trump's new orders, birthright citizenship and immigration policy have once again become a major issue of American politics and legal debate.