Congress must reform birthright citizenship

President Trump has made it clear that ending birthright citizenship is a cornerstone of his strategy to Make America Great Again. In a historic and unprecedented move, just hours into his presidency, he signed an executive order to end this practice — an action many Americans see as a necessary correction to a gross misuse of our Constitution.

This decision has reignited a long overdue debate about citizenship in America and how it has been misinterpreted for decades. Therefore, I have introduced the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025 to solidify these reforms into law and ensure lasting change. The time is now to build upon the momentum of Trump’s executive order.

The most recent data shows that at least 6 percent of all births in the U.S. are to illegal immigrant mothers. That is equivalent to at least 250,000 annually exploiting loopholes in our immigration system, and God only knows how many more were born as a result of the Biden administration’s four year-long border crisis. This is not what the Fourteenth Amendment intended.

My bill ensures that U.S. citizenship is granted only to children born in America who have at least one parent who is a citizen, lawful permanent resident, or serving in our Armed Forces.

The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, was a monumental step forward for civil rights. Section 1 states: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."

This amendment was intended to guarantee citizenship to former slaves, providing them equal protection under the law. However, it also includes a crucial qualifier: “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” This phrase makes clear that citizenship applies only to those fully under U.S. legal jurisdiction — not those whose allegiance lies with another country.

Unfortunately, the misinterpretation of this clause has allowed and enabled the rise of a global birth tourism industry that is eroding the very fabric of our society. Those who have the means book their own flights and find nice hotels to stay in. Those who do not must rely on cartels and human trafficking networks to cross our border illegally, getting abused and taken advantage of every step of the way. They choose this horrific path to the U.S. because they know they can gain permanent residency and undeserving citizenship by breaking our laws and having their child on American soil.

Our citizenship is not a commodity to be bought or manipulated. It is a privilege, earned through allegiance, lawful presence or service to — including the willingness to die for — our country. The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025 will restore fairness and integrity to the process, aligning it with the original intent of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Now is the time to act. I urge every member of Congress to join me in ending the abuse of our nation’s birthright citizenship policy. We must do this for the American people and in honor of the sacrifices made by those who built this great nation with their blood, sweat and tears. This bill can create a legacy worthy of their efforts, and I am confident that President Trump will sign it into law if Congress gives him the chance.

Brian Babin represents the 36th District of Texas.