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As per the new changes brought by US President Donald Trump regarding birthright citizenship, all the babies born to non-permanent residents after February 20 will not get citizenship of the country automatically
United States President Donald Trump signs various executive orders. (Courtesy: Reuters)
As the deadline for United States President Donald Trump’s executive order for ending automatic birthright citizenship to the children of non-permanent residents approaches, a lot of expectant Indian women are rushing for preterm C-sections so that their children are born before the deadline of February 20.
The women are opting for C-sections in their eighth or ninth month of pregnancy and not waiting to complete their full term, reported The Times Of India.
Donald Trump, after swearing in as the 47th President of the United States Monday, signed a flurry of executive orders among which ended ‘birthright citizenship’ – a 127-year-old amendment made to the Constitution that ensured American nationality to all children born in the country irrespective of whether their parents hold citizenship or not.
The order has also been contested in various lawsuits filed by a group of 22 states and civil rights groups.
How Citizenship Birthright Amendment Is Impacting Indian Families?
The drastic amendment in citizenship birthright is being felt by Indian families, who are on temporary H1B or L1 visas.
In the United States, doctors and gynaecologists have reported that pregnant Indian women who are on such visas have been rushing to the clinics and consulting about caesarean for making pre-term delivery of their children before the new mandate goes into effect on February 20.
The women are rushing because all children born before the deadline will be given citizenship and those born afterwards will only get citizenship if one of their parents is a Green Card holder or after they turn 21.
Speaking to The Times Of India, Dr SD Rama from New Jersey said that a lot of women came to her with requests for preterm deliveries.
“A seven-month pregnant woman came, with her husband, to sign up for a pre-term delivery. She isn’t due until sometime in March,” she said.
The Indian parents are in a panic because several lakhs of them had earlier believed that their children would become American citizens automatically, however, that may not be the case.
The amendment will not impact Green Card holders whose children will be born as American citizens even after February 20.
What Is Birthright Citizenship In The US?
In the United States, anyone born is considered a citizen of the country at birth, as per the law which has now been amended.
It has been derived from the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment which was part of the Constitution in 1868.
“All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside,” states the amendment.
In the United States, currently, 13-14 million immigrants are living illegally and currently their children are considered American citizens if born in the country.
- Location :
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
