What exactly is "birth tourism?"

NPR | By Juliana Kim,

Ailsa Chang

Published August 7, 2026 at 4:24 PM EDT

President Trump signed two executive orders targeting birthright citizenship and "birth tourism." The latter is an issue that Trump has raised for years.

Juliana Kim

Juliana Kim is a reporter on NPR's General Assignment desk. She has covered breaking news and major events across across politics, science, sports, pop culture, international affairs, and more. Her work has appeared on Up First, The Indicator and It’s Been a Minute.

Ailsa Chang

Ailsa Chang is an award-winning journalist and a host of NPR’s newsmagazine All Things Considered, as well as NPR’s daily news podcast Consider This.

See stories by Ailsa Chang

SUSTAIN what matters. BUILD what’s next.

With federal funding eliminated, WKAR relies more than ever on community support to sustain essential services that remain freely available to everyone in mid-Michigan. Your support helps shape what comes next for public media in our region. The best way to support WKAR is by becoming a sustaining member today or by upgrading your current gift. Support WKAR TV Here | Support WKAR Radio Here.