US Birthright Citizenship:
The newly elected President of the United States, Donald Trump, took the oath of office on December 20. After returning to power following a four-year gap, Trump has made several significant decisions. One of the most notable decisions is the cancellation of birthright citizenship for children born in the United States. By signing an executive order, Trump effectively ended the practice of granting automatic citizenship to individuals born on U.S. soil. This historic decision has come as a major shock to many, including a large number of Indians.
Additionally, Donald Trump has reversed several key decisions made during the Biden administration. However, within the first four days of his presidency, Trump faced a significant setback. A federal judge in the United States declared his executive order unconstitutional. According to The Indian Express, the court issued a temporary stay on Trump’s order, ensuring that, for the time being, all children born in the United States will continue to receive citizenship by birth.
Judge John Kuffnor, who issued the temporary restraining order, emphasized that the executive order was “completely unconstitutional.” This stay means that the longstanding practice of granting birthright citizenship remains in effect for now. The decision came after four Democratic-led states—Illinois, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona—filed a petition against Trump’s order. The court’s ruling has been widely viewed as a blow to Trump’s efforts to eliminate birthright citizenship.
What is the order that ends ‘birthright citizenship’?
Among the executive orders issued on the day Trump was sworn in, one gained significant global attention—the order to repeal birthright citizenship. This order states that children born on U.S. soil to non-citizens, including those on temporary visas like H-1B or residing in the country without legal status, will no longer automatically qualify for U.S. citizenship. This decision has the potential to impact not only undocumented immigrants but also many Indians and other foreign nationals living in the United States on temporary visas.
