Feb 19, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Scoop: Democrats target Trump's birthright citizenship order

Stephen Neukam

U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) walks through the Senate Subway in the U.S. Capitol on January 27, 2025 in Washington, DC. The Senate confirmed Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary in a 68-29 vote. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) — Sen. Jacky Rosen at the Senate Subway at the U.S. Capitol last month. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Senate Democrats are targeting President Trump's order to end birthright citizenship by trying to cut off the funding to enforce it.

Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) will lead a group of Democrats in introducing the Born in the USA Act this week, which would prevent any government funds from being used to enforce Trump's birthright citizenship order.

Why it matters: The bill is a notable opening shot from Rosen and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), who represent a purple state with a hefty Latino population. Rosen and Trump both won the state in 2024.

Trump's directive to end birthright citizenship has been halted by a number of courts while battles over its constitutionality continue. The Democrats are framing the move as patently illegal.

The big picture: Just 36% of U.S. adults support Trump's move to end birthright citizenship, according to polling from Reuters/Ipsos.

"The U.S. Constitution is abundantly clear that if you are born in the United States, then you are a citizen," Rosen said in a statement to Axios.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the No. 2 ranking Democrat in the Senate, co-sponsored the bill. So did Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).

Go deeper: 18 Republicans cite 1600s case law to defend Trump birthright citizenship order

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Scoop: Democrats target Trump's birthright citizenship order

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