US Restricts Birthright Citizenship, Potential Ramifications for Cambodia

As a Cambodia correspondent, I am closely monitoring developments regarding the US's strengthening of restrictions on birthright citizenship. According to a BBC News report, US President Donald Trump has signed two executive orders aimed at limiting birthright citizenship and banning "birth tourism." These orders come weeks after the Supreme Court rejected his previous attempt. President Trump criticized the Supreme Court's rejection of his attempt to end this 150-year-old policy, stating, "This should have happened years ago, but we are dealing with it now." The first order prohibits the automatic granting of citizenship to children born to two non-citizen parents, where one parent is a member of a foreign terrorist group, a foreign government official, has attempted to obtain citizenship by fraudulent means, or is residing in the US in a territory where citizenship is not granted by federal law. Birthright citizenship for those born in US territories like Puerto Rico is established by federal law. The second order prohibits "birth tourism," the practice of pregnant mothers coming to the US to give birth to their children to obtain citizenship. The Trump administration has repeatedly criticized birth tourism, accusing Russian and Chinese rivals of exploiting birthright citizenship to infiltrate the United States. These US policy changes could have a direct impact on individuals and families in Cambodia considering birth tourism. Furthermore, it is conceivable that these changes could indirectly influence future Cambodian policy-making regarding immigration and the movement of its citizens. We will continue to monitor how the Cambodian government responds to these developments and what changes may occur in the opportunities for Cambodian citizens to travel to the US.