Understanding Trump’s Executive Order On American Citizenship
By Lolu Akinwunmi
There’s been a lot of talk on Trump’s Executive Order and children born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants etc. What does the EO say? What are the implications? What’s been the reactions to it and what’s likely to happen?
On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” aiming to end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to parents who are neither U.S. citizens nor lawful permanent residents. This order reinterprets the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause in the Constitution which has historically granted citizenship to nearly all individuals born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. 
OBJECTIVE AND INTENDED OUTCOMES
The administration argues that the current interpretation of birthright citizenship incentivizes illegal immigration and “birth tourism,” where individuals enter the U.S. temporarily to secure citizenship for their children. By ending automatic citizenship for certain U.S.-born children, the executive order seeks to deter these practices and reinforce the integrity of American citizenship. 
WHO ARE THE AFFECTED POPULATIONS?
If implemented, this policy would primarily affect children born in the U.S. to parents who are:
• Undocumented immigrants
• Individuals present on temporary visas (e.g., tourists, students, or temporary workers)
These children, who have traditionally been granted U.S. citizenship at birth, would no longer receive this automatic status. This change could lead to a significant increase in the number of stateless individuals and may create a permanent underclass lacking legal rights and protections. 
LEGAL CHALLENGES AND CURRENT STATUS
The executive order has faced immediate legal challenges. Attorneys general from 22 states filed a lawsuit arguing that the order violates the 14th Amendment. On January 23, 2025, a federal judge in Seattle temporarily blocked the order, labeling it “blatantly unconstitutional.” The administration plans to appeal this decision, and further legal battles are anticipated.  
In summary, President Trump’s executive order seeks to redefine birthright citizenship by excluding children born to non-citizen and non-permanent resident parents from automatic citizenship. This move has significant implications for immigration policy and the interpretation of constitutional rights, and it is currently the subject of ongoing legal disputes.
Lolu AKINWUNMI is the
Group CEO, Prima Garnet Africa, Author, ‘Skin for Skin: The Prima Garnet Story’ and Adjunct Lecturer Pan Atlantic University.
He was President AAAN, Chairman APCON Board, Chairman, Centre for Integrated Health Programmes, Board Member Ogilvy Africa.
Photo Credit: NDTV
