Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025

Key Points

• Congress would change the law to say a child born in the U.S. is a citizen at birth only if at least one parent is a U.S. citizen or national, a lawful permanent resident living in the U.S., or a noncitizen with lawful status serving on active duty in the U.S. military.
• This would likely deny automatic citizenship at birth to children born in the U.S. to parents who are in the country without legal status, or who are here on many temporary visas not covered by the bill.
• For families, this could change what papers a newborn can get (like a U.S. passport) and could affect access to jobs and benefits later in life, depending on the child’s status.
• The bill says it would not change the citizenship status of anyone born before it becomes law, so it would only apply going forward.
• Supporters describe it as a clarification of who is “subject to U.S. jurisdiction,” but it would be a major shift from how birthright citizenship is commonly understood today.

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