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Birthright citizenship panic: Indian expectant mothers in US rush to beat Trump's deadline
With the birthright citizenship deadline approaching, babies born after February 20 to non-permanent residents will not automatically gain US citizenship.
Amid President Donald Trump's executive order aiming to end birthright citizenship as part of his strict anti-immigration policies, many expectant Indian parents in the US are choosing preterm C-sections to deliver their babies before the February 20 deadline.
Women opting for C-sections are primarily in their eighth or ninth month of pregnancy, though a few are still weeks away from reaching full term, Times of India reported.
Dr SD Rama, who works at a maternity clinic in New Jersey, said she has received many requests for preterm deliveries. “A woman who is seven months pregnant came with her husband to schedule an early delivery. She’s due in March,” she told TOI.
The rush to beat the birthright citizenship deadline is widespread, as babies born after February 20 to non-permanent residents will not automatically receive citizenship.
Ending automatic birthright citizenship is a big change in immigration policy and could affect millions of Indians living in the country on temporary visas.
Read: Donald Trump ends birthright citizenship: How will it impact Indians in America?
Birthright citizenship is the legal principle that grants children citizenship based on the country of their birth, regardless of their parents' nationality or immigration status.
Dr. SG Mukkala, an obstetrician in Texas, warned couples about the risks of preterm births, including underdeveloped lungs, feeding issues, low birth weight, and neurological complications.
“I am trying to tell couples that even if it is possible, a preterm birth poses significant risk to mother and child. Complications include underdeveloped lungs, feeding problems, low birth weight, neurological complications and more. In the past two days, I have spoken to 15 to 20 couples regarding this,” the report quoted Mukkala as saying.
With green card wait times exceeding a century, birthright citizenship served as a safety net for many expectant couples, particularly Indians working in the US.
A 28-year-old finance professional, quoted in the report, expressed that his plans would be disrupted if his dependent wife gave birth after the deadline.
“We sacrificed so much to come here. Now, it feels like the door is closing on us,” said the H-1B holder, who is still a few months away from parenthood.
