Trump Issues Executive Order Abolishing Birthright Citizenship

January 21, 2025 TruthUSA

The president indicated that he anticipates a swift legal challenge to the order.

President Donald Trump took one of his initial official actions on Monday by signing an executive order that terminates birthright citizenship.

The executive order specifies that the federal government will not automatically grant birthright citizenship to children born to undocumented immigrants within the United States.

Earlier, Trump admitted that the order might be contentious and expressed his expectation of an immediate legal challenge.

Birthright citizenship has been a part of the U.S. Constitution since the 1898 Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Wong Kim Ark.

Trump characterized automatic citizenship as “just ridiculous,” asserting that he believes he is on “solid [legal] ground” to make this change.

Additionally on Monday, as one of his first formal acts as president, Trump signed an order designating illegal immigration at the southern border as a national emergency.

“That’s a significant one,” he quipped to reporters while enacting the order that declares the border emergency.

Following his election in November, Trump reaffirmed his intention to sign such an emergency declaration. Throughout his campaign, he frequently cited illegal immigration as a critical issue facing the country, promising additional measures to address the problem.

Trump expressed support for legal immigration as he issued orders declaring a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, while also overriding previous policies on refugee resettlement.

He also mentioned to reporters that there is a need for immigrant labor to support investments he anticipates from his increase in tariffs. “I’m okay with legal immigration. I support it. We need individuals,” he remarked.

Trump regained the presidency in part by pledging to strengthen border security and deport record numbers of undocumented immigrants. Both Trump and Republicans have argued that mass deportations are essential given that millions of immigrants entered illegally during former President Joe Biden’s term.

During his inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol, Trump remarked that individuals “from all over the world” had entered the U.S. unlawfully and that the government has “failed to protect American borders” in recent years.

“All illegal entry will be promptly stopped … and we will initiate the process of returning criminal illegal aliens” to their origin, he declared, adding that he would deploy troops to the southern border to combat what he termed the “disastrous invasion” of the United States.

Trump also committed to issuing additional orders targeting illegal immigration, including leveraging the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 and labeling Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Further actions he plans to take include abolishing the “catch-and-release” policy, which allows undocumented immigrants to enter the United States while seeking asylum.

At the beginning of 2022, the U.S. government estimated around 11 million immigrants were living in the U.S. illegally or under a temporary status, a number some analysts now believe has increased to 13 million to 14 million.

‘Turn Back Now’

On the same day, Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy cautioned that undocumented immigrants intending to enter the U.S. should refrain from trying.

“All illegal aliens attempting to enter the United States should turn back immediately. Anyone entering the U.S. without authorization will face prosecution and expulsion,” wrote Miller, a long-time advocate for strict immigration enforcement, on the social media platform X.

The Trump administration also confirmed on Monday the termination of the CBP One app, along with the cancellation of all upcoming appointments for undocumented immigrants seeking entry into the U.S. through ports of entry.

“Effective January 20, 2025, the features of CBP One™ that allowed undocumented aliens to provide advance information and schedule appointments at eight southwestern border ports of entry are no longer accessible, and all existing appointments are canceled,” the statement noted, directing individuals to contact the agency’s public affairs office for further inquiries.

It is likely that Trump’s immigration orders will face challenges from organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which has indicated that it plans to file lawsuits. Following Trump’s remarks about deploying troops to the border in November, the ACLU announced it would contest such actions.

“As we prepare for litigation and establish protections for freedom across blue states, we must also raise awareness that what lies ahead will fundamentally transform the lives of millions of Americans,” the ACLU stated at the time.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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