Global Birthright Citizenship
Mexico Extends Birthright Citizenship, Like Dozens of Nations, Amid US Debate
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President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed the United States is the only country in the world that grants automatic citizenship to children born on its soil. That claim is false. About 33 countries — mostly in the Americas — offer the same guarantee, including Canada, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico, according to Pew Research Center.
In Tijuana, Mexico, Haitian immigrant Vivianne Petit-Frere runs a restaurant called Lakou Lakay. Her granddaughter Alexca was born there in 2024 and automatically became a Mexican citizen — the same way a child born in the U.S. would become an American, according to AP News.
Mexico's Birthright Law Goes Back Decades
Mexico's Constitution, under Article 30, grants automatic nationality to any child born on Mexican soil — no matter what the parents' legal status is. Legal experts call this principle *jus soli*, or "right of the soil." Mexico enshrined the rule as early as 1917, then expanded it in a 1934 reform, according to The Independent.
A 1997 Mexican reform made the policy even stronger. It declared that Mexican nationality by birth is "permanent and non-forfeitable" and allowed dual citizenship. So a child like Alexca holds Mexican citizenship for life — even if her family later moves abroad.
Trump's Executive Order Puts U.S. Birthright Citizenship at Risk
On his first day back in office — January 20, 2025 — Trump signed an executive order to end birthright citizenship for children of parents in the U.S. illegally or on temporary visas. Courts quickly blocked the order. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case, known as *Trump v. Barbara*, in April 2026, according to Newsweek.
The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, says anyone "born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof" is a citizen. The Supreme Court upheld that guarantee in 1898. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh both showed skepticism during oral arguments about overturning 150 years of legal precedent by executive order, according to Newsweek.
Birthright Citizenship Has Deep Historical Roots in the Americas
The practice dates back to the 1600s and 1700s. European rulers used birthright citizenship as a tool to attract settlers to the American colonies. Historians like César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández of Ohio State University say the policy was designed to grow populations and bind settlers to the land, according to News4JAX.
Today, roughly 33 countries still offer unconditional birthright citizenship. Most are in the Western Hemisphere. The U.S., Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Honduras, and Mexico are all on the list, according to WFMZ.
The Stakes Are Enormous — Economically and Socially
Researchers at Princeton and Notre Dame estimate that birthright citizens will contribute $7.7 trillion to the U.S. economy over their lifetimes. The Migration Policy Institute warns that ending the policy could add 2.7 million people to the unauthorized population by 2045 — children born in the U.S. who would suddenly have no legal status.
Public opinion largely opposes the change. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 64% of Americans are against the executive order. An AP-NORC poll from May 2026 found 65% believe citizenship should go to all children born on U.S. soil. A Supreme Court ruling is expected within days, according to Newsweek.
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