Defying the Supreme Court: Trump signs new birthright citizenship orders

President Donald Trump signed two executive orders Thursday targeting birthright citizenship and “birth tourism,” just weeks after the US Supreme Court rejected his previous attempt to end automatic citizenship for children born on American soil, the New York Times reports.

The new orders would restrict citizenship eligibility for children of foreign government staff, mothers who misrepresent their intentions while visiting pregnant, and babies of parents linked to terrorist organisations. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump described birthright citizenship as intended solely for children of enslaved people following the Civil War — a claim disputed by constitutional scholars.

The ACLU swiftly rejected the orders, with deputy director Cody Wofsy stating: “The Supreme Court already decided this issue: Birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the Constitution. No additional executive order can change the meaning of the Constitution.” The June 30 Supreme Court ruling — which a six-justice majority grounded in constitutional rather than statutory law — means Trump would likely require a constitutional amendment to achieve his longstanding goal, making the new orders almost certain to face fresh legal challenges.