Amid the row over an executive order against birthright citizenship, US President Donald Trump said birthright citizenship was primarily intended for the children of slaves and not for the whole world to 'come in and pile' into the US, reported PTI on Friday.
Earlier on January 20, on the very first day of his inauguration, US President Trump issued an executive order against birthright citizenship. However, it was struck down by a federal court in Seattle the next day.
Stating that he would appeal against the Seattle federal court order, Trump exuded confidence that the Supreme Court would rule in his favour.
“Birthright citizenship was, if you look back when this was passed and made, that was meant for the children of slaves. This was not meant for the whole world to come in and pile into the United States of America,” PTI quoted Trump as telling reporters in the Oval Office of the White House.
“Everybody coming in, and totally unqualified people with perhaps unqualified children. This wasn't meant for that," he said.
"I'm in favour of that 100 per cent. But it wasn't meant for the entire world to occupy the United States,” Trump said.
“I just think that we'll end up winning that in the Supreme Court. I think we're going to win that case. I look forward to winning it."
"At that level, we're the only country in the world that does this," he said.
Bill introduced in the US Senate:
A group of Republican senators introduced the bill in the US Senate early this week to restrict birthright citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants and non-immigrants on temporary visas.
Senators Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz and Katie Britt, who introduced the bill, cited the exploitation of birthright citizenship is a major pull factor for illegal immigration and a weakness for national security.
They added, the US is one of only 33 countries in the world with no restrictions on birthright citizenship.
According to the Center for Immigration Studies estimates, 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.
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.
