With the looming deadline set by President Donald Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship, Indian couples in the United States are urgently scheduling C-sections to ensure their children gain citizenship before February 20, 2025, Indian media reports claimed.
Trump's order was issued shortly after his inauguration. The order will end the practice of granting US citizenship to children born in the country to non-citizen parents after February 19.
Children born in the US before February 19 will still receive citizenship by birth, prompting a rush among Indian couples, many of whom are on temporary work visas like H-1B and L1, or are awaiting Green Cards.
According to a Times of India (TOI) report, Indian couples are contacting doctors in large numbers to schedule preterm C-sections, even if their due dates are still weeks away. Dr. S.D. Rama, a gynaecologist based in New Jersey, mentioned that his clinic had received numerous requests for C-sections, some from women who were only seven months pregnant. One patient, who wasn’t due until March, came in with her husband to sign up for a preterm delivery.
This surge is partly driven by the hope that a child born in the US will eventually provide a path to residency for the parents. Till now, children born in the US could apply for Green Cards for their parents once they turn 21.
This prospect was highly valued by Indian nationals who have been waiting years for Green Card approval, with some facing a decades-long wait due to the backlog in visa processing.
While talking to TOI, Dr. S.G. Mukkala, a Texas-based obstetrician, expressed concern about the risks associated with preterm deliveries. It includes problems such as underdeveloped lungs and neurological complications. He added that in the past few days, he has received inquiries from about 20 couples seeking early deliveries.
For illegal immigrants, the implications are even more severe, as the policy shift effectively blocks any future claims to citizenship based on birthright. One couple, illegally living in the US and expecting a child, also expressed disappointment over the new deadline, which has left them uncertain about their future options.
As the February 20 deadline approaches, Indian couples across the US are scrambling to ensure their children are born before the cutoff, fearing the potential consequences of the policy change.
(With inputs from agencies)