Trump says birthright citizenship meant only for children of slaves
Trump claims birthright citizenship was meant only for slaves’ children as the Supreme Court reviews his order ending citizenship for undocumented immigrants’ kids
US President Donald Trump has said that the provision for birthright citizenship in the country was primarily meant for children of slaves and not for “rich” immigrants, adding that it cannot be used as a means of making their “whole family” US citizens. Trump’s remarks come days after the US Supreme Court agreed to review the contentious issue of birthright citizenship.
Defends order against birthright citizenship
Speaking to Politico, the US President defended his executive order against birthright citizenship, claiming that it would be a devastating blow to the country if his administration lost the case in the Supreme Court.
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"...The case is very interesting because that case was meant for the babies of slaves. And if you look at the dates on the case, it was exactly having to do with the Civil War. That case was not meant for some rich person coming from another country, dropping ... putting a foot in our country, and all of a sudden their whole family becomes, you know, United States citizens," said Trump.
‘Case is all about slaves’
Elaborating further, the Republican leader said that people are starting to understand the issue and expressed hope that the Supreme Court also would understand it.
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"That case is all about slaves, the babies of slaves, and it was a good reason for doing it. And that's all it was about, and people now are understanding it. It's been explained to 'em. And I think the court understands it, too. That would be a devastating decision if we lose that case," added Trump.
‘People starting to understand the issue’
Trump further stated that the US cannot afford to sustain tens of millions of people coming into the country through birthright citizenship.
"When that happened, that was meant for the ... the babies of slaves, and if you look at the exact dates that it was passed, it all had to do with the Civil War and the ending of the Civil War. It's that little period of time, and people now are starting to understand that," said Trump.
Trump’s order on birthright citizenship
Trump in January 2025 issued an executive order that ended birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants and short-term visitors, applying the change only to future cases. The dramatic shift from long-standing policy quickly prompted a wave of legal challenges, leading several federal courts to temporarily halt enforcement.
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In June, the Supreme Court ruled that district courts do not have the authority to impose nationwide or universal injunctions against the order. Then on December 5, the justices agreed to hear the administration’s appeal, setting up a definitive review of the measure’s constitutionality.
What birthright citizenship means
The debate centres on the scope of the 14th Amendment, adopted in 1868, which declares that anyone born or naturalised in the United States and falling under its jurisdiction is a citizen of both the nation and the state in which they live. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 echoes this definition, reinforcing long-standing interpretations of citizenship.
The issue centres on the 14th Amendment, adopted in 1868, which states that all individuals born or naturalised in the United States and under its jurisdiction are citizens of both the country and the state where they live. Similar wording appears in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which also outlines who qualifies as a citizen.
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A January 2022 estimate from the US Department of Homeland Security put the number of immigrants living in the country without legal status at about 11 million, though some analysts now believe the total is between 13 and 14 million, reported NDTV. The government currently recognises the US-born children of these immigrants as American citizens.
Trump has also criticised situations in which foreign women travel to the United States specifically to give birth so their children obtain US citizenship.