The Birthright CLAIM Act of 2026 would amend federal immigration law to restrict automatic citizenship for babies born in the United States. Under current law, children born on U.S. soil are generally granted citizenship regardless of their parents' immigration status. This bill would eliminate that automatic citizenship for children whose parents are both not U.S. citizens and at least one parent is either unlawfully present or in a temporary legal status. The bill also requires DNA testing to verify paternity when a child's mother is not lawfully present and citizenship is claimed through the father, with testing costs borne by parents. Additionally, the legislation increases residency requirements for U.S. citizens living abroad to pass citizenship to children born outside the country. The bill would affect children born to undocumented immigrants and those in temporary visa categories, and would prevent the issuance of citizenship documents, passports, or social security numbers until paternity is verified through DNA testing.
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