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Journalism of Courage
Among the flurry of executive orders made by US President Donald Trump as soon as he began his second term is the revocation of birthright citizenship – automatic citizenship granted to children born in the US to non-citizen parents. This order, if implemented, will likely have a profound impact on the Indian-American community, one of the fastest-growing populations in the country.
While the order sparked debate within Trump’s support base, the US President expressed his support for both sides of the argument on H-1B foreign guest workers’ visas. He emphasised his liking for “very competent people” coming into the country, highlighting his own use of the program. “I like both sides of the argument, but I also like very competent people coming into our country, even if that involves them training and helping other people who may not have the qualifications they do.”
Trump made these remarks during a joint press conference with Oracle CTO Larry Ellison, Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, and Open AI CEO Sam Altman. The order, once implemented, will potentially impact children born in the US to H-1B visa holders, Green Card holders, temporary visa holders, and undocumented immigrants.
This move may deter many Indian professionals, students, and families from seeking opportunities in the US, opting for countries like Canada or Australia instead. While Trump’s close confidants, like Elon Musk, support H-1B visas for bringing in qualified tech professionals, others argue that it will take away jobs from Americans.
Trump reiterated his stance, saying, “We want competent people coming into our country… People like Larry, he needs engineers, Masa also needs… they need engineers like nobody’s ever needed them.” He emphasised the importance of quality people coming into the country, highlighting the expansion of businesses and benefits for everyone.
As of 2024, Indian Americans constitute over 5.4 million, comprising 1.47% of the US population. According to the US Census Bureau, around two-thirds are first-generation immigrants, while the rest are US-born citizens.
The current birthright citizenship provision, enacted in 1868, grants US citizenship to anyone born on American soil, regardless of their parents’ citizenship or immigration status. The new order would deny US citizenship, including passports, to children born in the US starting 30 days from now, if at least one parent isn’t an American citizen.
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