Washington: A group of Republican Senators has introduced a bill in the US Senate to restrict birthright citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants and non-immigrants on temporary visas.
According to Senators Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz and Katie Britt, who introduced the bill, the exploitation of birthright citizenship is a major pull factor for illegal immigration and a weakness for national security.
The US is one of only 33 countries in the world with no restrictions on birthright citizenship, they said.
The legislative move comes after an executive order on the matter, signed by President Donald Trump on the first day of his presidency, has been blocked by a federal judge in Washington state.
The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that in 2023, there were 2,25,000 to 2,50,000 births to illegal immigrants, amounting to close to seven per cent of births in the US.
It is long overdue for the United States to change its policy on birthright citizenship because it is being abused in so many ways, said Graham.
“One example is birth tourism, where wealthy individuals from China and other nations come to the United States simply to have a child who will be an American citizen. When you look at the magnets that draw people to America, birthright citizenship is one of the largest,” he said.
“I also appreciate President Trump’s executive order to address birthright citizenship. It is time for the United States to align itself with the rest of the world and restrict this practice once and for all,” Graham said.
“The promise of American citizenship should not incentivise illegal migration, but that’s exactly what has happened for far too long,” said Britt.
It’s time to fix this, she said.
“Senator Lindsey Graham’s and my Birthright Citizenship Act would codify President Trump’s commonsense stance and end the abuse of birthright citizenship that I do not believe is consistent with the original meaning of the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause,” she added.
“This will protect our nation’s sovereignty, disincentivise illegal migration, and ensure America’s citizenship practices are stronger and better aligned with peer countries around the globe,” Britt said.
The three Senators said in September 2024, two individuals from California were found guilty in a “birth tourism” scheme.
Predominantly Chinese clients paid the operators of a “maternity hotel” tens of thousands of dollars to come to the US to give birth. Clients were coached on how to lie during the admissions process.
A 2022 Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee report found a birthing company catering to the wives of Russian oligarchs, celebrities, athletes and public figures.
The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025 specifies who can receive citizenship by virtue of their birth in the United States, including children born to at least one parent who is either a citizen or national of the US, a lawful permanent resident of the US, or an alien performing active service in the armed forces.
This bill only applies to children born after the date of enactment.