On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. On his first day in office, he rescinded 78 executive orders and actions that had been signed by his predecessor, Joe Biden. In his inaugural address, Trump vowed to end illegal immigration, stating that “all illegal entry will be halted,” and pledged to deport millions of “criminal aliens.” Additionally, he announced plans to challenge birthright citizenship, aiming to stop children of undocumented immigrants from automatically receiving U.S. citizenship.

Birthright citizenship, protected by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, grants citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. Trump’s executive order sought to deny U.S. citizenship to children born in the U.S. to parents who are not lawful permanent residents or U.S. citizens. The order prohibited federal agencies from issuing documentation proving U.S. citizenship for such children 30 days after the order’s signing.

This move primarily targeted children of unauthorized immigrants and individuals on temporary visas. However, legal experts have pointed out that any attempt to revoke birthright citizenship would likely face significant legal challenges, as the 14th Amendment’s provision is a constitutional right. As a result, it is highly unlikely that Trump will be able to end birthright citizenship through executive orders alone.