President Donald Trump plans to sign two executive orders aimed at narrowing birthright citizenship and addressing commercial birth tourism. The orders are set to be signed on Thursday, August 6, 2026. One order seeks to deny birthright citizenship for children born to certain foreign diplomatic staff in the U.S. and potentially in U.S. territories in the future. The second order directs the Secretary of State and the Department of Homeland Security to issue rules to combat birth tourism.
The administration argues that the 14th Amendment does not confer automatic citizenship to children of foreign diplomats and that it can limit birthright citizenship under recognized exceptions. The executive orders will apply to future births in four categories: children of foreign diplomatic staff, children of individuals classified as alien enemies, those born in U.S. territories if Congress changes the law, and children born to mothers who enter the U.S. for the purpose of giving birth.
The administration's rationale for limiting birth tourism includes concerns over fraudulent misrepresentation by parents seeking to gain access to the U.S. for citizenship purposes. The House Oversight Committee is currently investigating birth tourism centers, citing potential national security and election integrity threats posed by foreign expectant mothers, particularly from China and Russia.
Estimates suggest that the number of children born through birth tourism ranges from the low thousands to tens of thousands. Critics of Trump's approach argue that enforcing existing regulations would be a more effective solution to the issue of birth tourism.