President Trump’s executive order to ban birthright citizenship has reignited heated national debate as preliminary findings reveal up to 250,000 births to illegal immigrants in 2023.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump’s recent executive order banning birthright citizenship has thrust the contentious issue into the national spotlight. The ban, slated to take effect on February 19, has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge in Seattle, with legal experts predicting the matter will eventually reach the Supreme Court.
If implemented, the order would significantly impact the status of tens of thousands of children born to illegal immigrants annually. According to preliminary findings from the Center for Immigration Studies, between 225,000 and 250,000 children were born to illegal immigrants in the U.S. in 2023, accounting for roughly 7% of all births that year. These figures exceed the total annual births in all but two U.S. states individually.
Birthright Citizenship Under Scrutiny
Trump’s executive order, titled “Protecting The Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” aims to reinterpret the 14th Amendment. The amendment states that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” The order clarifies that individuals born to illegal immigrants or those on temporary nonimmigrant visas are not entitled to citizenship.
“The Fourteenth Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States,” the order asserts.
Trump has long described birthright citizenship as “ridiculous” and has emphasized the need to align the U.S. with the majority of nations that do not offer automatic citizenship by birth. The U.S. remains one of approximately 30 countries where birthright citizenship applies.
Preliminary Findings and Broader Implications
The Center for Immigration Studies used Census Bureau data and its own methodology to estimate that illegal immigrant parents accounted for a significant portion of births in 2023. The group noted that more children were born to illegal immigrant parents than to legal noncitizens. The number is projected to rise further in 2024, given the influx of illegal immigration during the Biden administration.
In its 2018 analysis, the group found that one in five U.S. births in 2014 were to immigrant mothers, with 7.5% attributed to illegal immigrants. The latest findings reflect a steady trend, highlighting the implications of unchecked immigration policies on the nation’s demographics and resources.
Legal Pushback and Temporary Restraining Order
U.S. District Judge John Coughenour issued a 14-day restraining order blocking the executive order after Arizona, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington filed a lawsuit to challenge it. Coughenour described the order as “blatantly unconstitutional,” stating that in his four decades on the bench, he had never encountered a case of this nature.
While the restraining order halts enforcement temporarily, the Justice Department intends to appeal the decision. A spokesperson for the department stated it would “vigorously defend” the executive order, asserting that it correctly interprets the Constitution. “We look forward to presenting a full merits argument to the Court and to the American people, who are desperate to see our nation’s laws enforced,” the statement read.
Moving Forward
The administration’s legal team may seek relief from the federal appeals court in San Francisco to lift the restraining order. However, the case is expected to undergo prolonged litigation, which could take months or even years to resolve fully.
As the legal battle unfolds, Trump’s executive order has reignited debates about immigration policy, citizenship, and the interpretation of the 14th Amendment. The issue remains a flashpoint in U.S. politics, with significant implications for the nation’s identity and legal framework.
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