President Donald Trump has signed two executive orders aimed at narrowing birthright citizenship, focusing on “birth tourism” and expanding narrow exceptions to the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause. The move comes just weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his earlier, broader attempt to reinterpret the constitutional guarantee.
The White House announced the orders on Thursday, August 6, 2026, describing them as a lawful effort to curb alleged abuses of U.S. immigration and visa systems. Officials said the directives instruct federal agencies to deny recognition of U.S. citizenship to certain children born on American soil to foreign nationals they claim are not fully “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States.
The new orders expand the long-standing exclusion for children of foreign diplomats and other narrow categories. They also target commercial “birth tourism,” directing the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security to tighten visa vetting and enforcement against operators who facilitate travel to the United States solely for the purpose of securing citizenship for newborns.
Administration officials further indicated that the measures cover children of people designated as “alien enemies,” foreign terrorists, or agents of hostile foreign powers. Some reports note a provision concerning infants born in U.S. territories, which would likely require congressional approval before implementation.
“Our immigration system must serve the American people, not be exploited by foreign actors seeking to game our laws,” a senior White House official said in a statement. The president, speaking at the signing ceremony, said the orders “restore clarity and integrity” to U.S. citizenship policy.
The directives follow a January 2025 order, Executive Order 14160, which sought to deny citizenship to children of unauthorized migrants and some temporary visa holders. That order was blocked by federal courts, and in June 2026 the Supreme Court upheld the prevailing interpretation that nearly all children born on U.S. soil are citizens, rejecting the administration’s broader theory.
Legal experts say the latest orders are framed as consistent with that ruling by focusing on categories already treated as outside full U.S. jurisdiction and on alleged fraud in “birth tourism” visas.
The State Department and DHS are expected to issue implementing guidance in the coming weeks on visa vetting, evidence of intent for pregnant travellers, and penalties for commercial birth-tourism facilitators. The administration has not released the full text of the orders as of Friday morning, but summaries provided to reporters outline the key provisions.
Trump’s push on birthright citizenship has been a central theme of his immigration agenda since his return to the White House in January 2025. Supporters argue the measures are necessary to deter fraud and protect the value of U.S. citizenship, while critics contend they undermine a constitutional guarantee and target vulnerable immigrant communities.
The debate is likely to intensify as lawsuits proceed and agencies begin enforcement. For now, the orders mark the latest chapter in a high-stakes legal and political battle over who qualifies as a U.S. citizen at birth.