Rainnie, a 27-year-old Chinese woman in California, rushed to bring her baby into the world early after learning about a new executive order from US President Donald Trump. The order, signed on his first day back in office, seeks to revoke birthright citizenship for children born after February 19 – just one day before Rainnie’s due date.
The executive order targets children born in the US after the cut-off date, denying citizenship if neither parent is a US citizen or lawful permanent resident.
More than 20 states have filed lawsuits to challenge the order, and federal judges have temporarily blocked it from being enforced. The case may ultimately reach the US Supreme Court. For now, the future of birthright citizenship remains uncertain, leaving parents who hoped to take advantage of it in legal limbo.
Rainnie, who asked to be identified by her English name for privacy, is one of many Chinese women who have traveled to the US specifically to give birth, seeking American citizenship for their children.
The number of babies born to parents traveling for “birth tourism” is unclear, with the US Department of State estimating thousands, while the Centre for Immigration Studies, a think tank focused on reducing immigration, puts the figure at over 20,000 annually.
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