Study Finds 9% of U.S. Births in 2023 Were to Migrant Mothers Without Permanent Status
A recent analysis highlights that around 9% of all births in the United States in 2023 were to mothers who were either unauthorized immigrants or held temporary legal status, according to research by the Pew Research Center.
The findings come amid ongoing legal and political debates over birthright citizenship, particularly in relation to an executive order proposed by Donald Trump that seeks to limit automatic citizenship for children born in the United States under certain conditions.
Under current interpretations of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, most children born on U.S. soil are granted citizenship regardless of their parents’ immigration status. However, the proposed policy would deny citizenship to children born to mothers without permanent legal status if the father is neither a citizen nor a lawful permanent resident.
According to the report, approximately 320,000 babies were born in 2023 to mothers in these categories, out of a total of about 3.6 million births nationwide. Of these, an estimated 260,000 children would not have qualified for birthright citizenship if such a policy had been in effect, including those born to unauthorized immigrant mothers and a smaller number born to mothers with temporary visas.
The research also shows that births to unauthorized immigrant mothers have fluctuated over time. They increased significantly between the 1990s and mid-2000s, peaking around 2006, before declining for more than a decade. However, between 2019 and 2023, the number rose again, reaching roughly 300,000 annually, reflecting broader demographic changes in the unauthorized immigrant population.
Between 2006 and 2023, an estimated 5.1 million children were born to unauthorized immigrant mothers in the United States. Millions of these individuals currently reside in the country, with many living alongside at least one parent without legal immigration status.
The report also notes that births to mothers with temporary legal status—such as students, workers, or dependents—have remained relatively stable, ranging between 15,000 and 30,000 per year over the past several decades.
The data underscores the potential demographic impact of changes to birthright citizenship policies, while also highlighting that such proposals would not apply retroactively to individuals already born in the United States.
