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H.R. 569: Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025, aims to amend the existing laws surrounding birthright citizenship in the United States. The key points of the bill are as follows:

Purpose

The main purpose of this legislation is to clarify which individuals born in the United States are considered nationals and citizens at birth, in accordance with the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The amendment suggests that certain conditions regarding the parents of the child will determine the child's citizenship status.

Key Amendments

The bill proposes amendments to Section 301 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, specifically:

It inserts a new introductory phrase to reframe the citizenship definition.
It renumbers the existing definitions into a new format.

Definition of Citizenship

According to the proposed amendment, a person born in the United States will be considered "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States—and thus a citizen—if:

One of the parents is a citizen or national of the United States,
One of the parents is an alien who has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence and maintains residence in the United States, or
One of the parents is an alien with lawful status under immigration laws who is on active duty in the U.S. armed forces.

Impact on Existing Citizens

The bill explicitly states that the changes proposed will not affect the citizenship or nationality status of any individuals born before the enactment of this Act.

Overall Implications

This bill may significantly redefine who qualifies for birthright citizenship in the future, focusing on the status of the parents at the time of birth. Individuals born in the U.S. to parents who do not meet any of the three criteria outlined in the bill may not automatically gain citizenship as is currently the case.