{"id":296992,"date":"2026-03-31T15:56:05","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T19:56:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?post_type=short-read&p=296992"},"modified":"2026-03-31T15:56:05","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T19:56:05","slug":"about-9-of-us-births-in-2023-were-to-unauthorized-or-temporary-legal-immigrant-mothers","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2026\/03\/31\/about-9-of-us-births-in-2023-were-to-unauthorized-or-temporary-legal-immigrant-mothers\/","title":{"rendered":"About 9% of U.S. births in 2023 were to unauthorized or temporary legal immigrant mothers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"(iStock
(iStock via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Supreme Court is considering the legality<\/a> of an executive order<\/a> from President Donald Trump that would restrict birthright citizenship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The order would deny U.S. citizenship to children born in the United States to mothers who are unauthorized immigrants or have legal temporary status at the time of the child\u2019s birth if the father is not a citizen or lawful permanent resident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Birthright citizenship derives from the U.S. Constitution\u2019s 14th Amendment<\/a> and grants citizenship to anyone born in the country. Legal experts have long interpreted the provision<\/a> to apply to children born in the U.S. regardless of the immigration status of their parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s difficult to say how many people this order would affect if the Supreme Court upholds it. It would not apply retroactively, so children already born would not lose their U.S. citizenship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This analysis answers some questions about babies born to unauthorized immigrants or immigrants with legal temporary status. Our analysis is based mainly on data derived from U.S. Census Bureau surveys. The data primarily links babies born in the U.S. to their mothers, but there is also some information available about the mother\u2019s spouse or partner, who we assume to be the father. The latest available data about births to unauthorized immigrant mothers is for 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll cover the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n