End Birthright Citizenship for Territories Act

Key Points

• The bill would end automatic birthright citizenship for people born in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands starting January 1, 2027, unless a parent is already a citizen or green card holder.
• Children would still automatically become citizens if born to a U.S. citizen parent or a parent who is a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), preserving citizenship for most territorial families.
• Anyone born in the territories before January 1, 2027 keeps their citizenship status unchanged, so the bill only affects future births, not people alive today.
• The bill applies to Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, the four territories that currently have statutory birthright citizenship; American Samoa already lacks it and is unaffected.
• Sponsors argue the change is meant to stop foreign nationals from having children in U.S. territories specifically to obtain citizenship for them, citing Congress's constitutional authority over territories.