A majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump’s executive order redefining birthright citizenship, a new Pew Research Center survey finds. The directive, signed on Trump’s first day back in the White House in January, states that children born in the U.S. are only citizens if at least one parent is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident. The order, which marks a major shift from more than 150 years of legal precedent, is already facing multiple legal challenges in federal courts.
Overall, 56% of U.S. adults disapprove of the order, while 43% approve. Disapproval is also stronger than approval: 40% of adults say they strongly disapprove, compared to 23% who strongly approve.
Partisan divide: Democrats largely oppose, Republicans mostly support
Views on the order fall sharply along party lines. Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, 84% disapprove, with 68% strongly opposed. Conversely, 72% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents approve of the executive order, including 42% who strongly support it.
While support is strong among Republicans, it varies by race and age. White Republicans overwhelmingly approve (77%), while support drops to 63% among Asian Republicans and just 53% among Hispanic Republicans. Among younger Republicans under 30, 59% approve, compared to 78% of those 50 and older.
Democrats oppose the order across all racial and ethnic groups. Black (74%) and Hispanic (70%) adults are among the most opposed, while 56% of Asian adults also disapprove. White adults are more divided, with 51% approving and 49% disapproving.
Younger Americans more opposed to the order
Age also plays a role in how Americans view the policy change. Adults under 30 are the least likely to support the order, with just 36% approving and 63% disapproving. Among those 30 to 49, support remains low at 41%, while 59% disapprove.
In contrast, Americans 50 and older are split, with 48% approving and 52% disapproving. Unlike Republicans, Democrats show little variation by age in their opposition to the executive order.
As legal challenges mount, the fate of Trump’s directive remains uncertain. But the survey highlights significant public skepticism about altering long-standing birthright citizenship policies.
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