Congress moves to strip birthright citizenship from U.S.-born children

What it does

This bill narrows birthright citizenship by denying automatic U.S. citizenship at birth to children born in the U.S. if both parents are non-citizens and at least one was unlawfully present or held a non-permanent visa status. It also requires DNA paternity testing (at parental expense) before issuing citizenship documents to children whose mothers are unlawfully present and whose fathers claim citizenship or permanent residency, blocking passports and Social Security numbers until testing is complete.

Why we flagged it

The bill's core function is to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to narrow the scope of automatic citizenship at birth for children of non-citizen parents, particularly those unlawfully present. It is fundamentally a citizenship-eligibility restriction, not an enforcement or procedural measure.

What the text implies

• Children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents would be born stateless or with uncertain citizenship status, creating a permanent underclass of U.S.-born residents without full legal standing.
• Mandatory DNA testing creates a de facto registry of non-citizen parents and their children, with testing costs borne by families already in precarious legal positions.
• Withholding Social Security numbers and passports pending paternity verification could prevent access to education, healthcare, and employment for years, effectively creating a citizenship-verification bureaucracy.
• The bill's definition of 'lawful status other than lawful permanent residency' is vague and could capture visa holders (students, workers, temporary residents), expanding the restriction beyond undocumented immigrants.
• Constitutional challenge is likely under the 14th Amendment's citizenship clause ('all persons born or naturalized in the United States... are citizens'), potentially creating years of litigation and legal uncertainty for affected children.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill restricts citizenship rights for a class of U.S.-born children and imposes procedural barriers (mandatory DNA testing, document delays) that create legal limbo and administrative burden on families. While framed as immigration enforcement, it narrows a constitutional right (birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment) and creates a two-tier citizenship system based on parental immigration status, disadvantaging children born to non-citizen parents.

Who stands to gain

• DNA testing laboratories (accredited by HHS/DHS)
• Immigration enforcement contractors
• Legal services firms specializing in citizenship disputes

Named in the bill

House Committee on the Judiciary, Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 301 (INA), Chapter 1 of Title III (INA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 14th Amendment

Where it stands

3 cosponsors: 3 Republicans.

• Jul 14, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Jul 14, 2026 — Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.