Donald Trump signs two executive orders to try tackle ‘birth tourism’ in the US after Supreme Court ruling

Donald Trump has made yet another move to crack down on “birth tourism” in the US.

The President signed two executive orders, renewing his challenge to a provision of the US constitution after the Supreme Court shut down his previous attempt.

One of Mr Trump’s priorities has been limiting immigration, with the White House taking particular aim at “birth tourism” where pregnant foreigners travel to the US to give birth.

Earlier efforts were deemed unconstitutional on June 30, in a major setback for the Republican President.

On Thursday, he instead opted for executive orders, which are not legally binding.

“They’re buying their way in, and we’re not going to let it happen,” Mr Trump said.

“We’re making adjustments because it’s very unfair.”

The administration argues the new directive does not fall within the limits of the Supreme Court ruling, allowing it to expand who would be considered ineligible for birthright citizenship, including those who would arrive for “birth tourism” purposes.

The categories, Mr Trump’s order said, “do not fall within the rule of birthright citizenship as announced by the Supreme Court”.

At the signing ceremony in the Oval Office, White House aide Stephen Miller said the practice was “hereby banned”.

“That practice of birth tourism is, as of the signing of this order, hereby banned,” he said.

“What that means is that no one in the world is anymore allowed to obtain a visa for this fraudulent purpose.”

The Center for Immigration Studies, which supports lower levels of immigration, estimated in an analysis in 2020 that between 20,000 to 25,000 mothers came to the US for birth tourism in a year-long period between 2016 and 2017.

There were 3.6 million births in the US in 2025.

However, there are no official figures tallying the number of foreigners who come to the US for the explicit purpose of giving birth and obtaining citizenship for their children, or the cost to taxpayers.

The executive orders also limit the rights of children born to foreign government employees in the US and children of people who are classified as alien enemies.

The orders could also affect people born in US territories, like Puerto Rico, should Congress enact a proposed law to end automatic citizenship there.

Mr Trump’s new orders are likely to be challenged in court.

“We had a very unfortunate decision in the Supreme Court concerning birthright. It was close, but a very, very unfortunate decision,” Mr Trump said of the 6-3 vote.

“People are building businesses around it.

“That’s not the way it’s supposed to work. It’s a disgrace.”

- With AP