Republican Senators Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) and Ted Cruz (Texas) have introduced the "Birthright Citizenship Act of 2024," a bill aimed at preventing children of undocumented immigrants and tourists from automatically obtaining U.S. citizenship. The initiative, presented in September, is currently under review by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

 

The bill seeks to amend Section 301 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to clarify who born in the U.S. qualifies for citizenship. Under the proposed law, only the children of individuals born in the U.S., permanent residents, and foreign military personnel serving in the U.S. Armed Forces would be granted citizenship.

 

You may also be interested in its Spanish version: Republicanos proponen ley para bloquear ciudadanía a hijos de turistas e indocumentados en EE.UU.

 

This legislation does not alter the 14th Amendment of the Constitution but instead clarifies the criteria for birthright citizenship. Graham argues that the U.S. should restrict this policy, citing the rise of "birth tourism," where foreign women travel to the U.S. specifically to give birth and secure U.S. citizenship for their children.