Trump Pardons More Than 1,500 January 6 Rioters and Terminates Birthright Citizenship for Immigrant Children in the US

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders upon his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States, prompting widespread attention and debate.

Gulf of Mexico Renamed

In one notable move, Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. According to the order published by the White House, the Secretary of the Interior has been directed to implement the change within 30 days.

The directive states:
“Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Interior shall… take all appropriate actions to rename as the ‘Gulf of America’ the U.S. Continental Shelf area bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the States of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, and extending to the seaward boundary with Mexico and Cuba in the area formerly named the Gulf of Mexico.”

The order also requires all references to the Gulf of Mexico to be updated in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) database.

Mass Pardons for January 6 Defendants

Trump also signed an executive order pardoning over 1,500 individuals charged with crimes related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. This order was reportedly the first signed upon his return to the White House.

More than 1,570 people have faced federal charges for their roles in the attack, where Trump supporters attempted to disrupt the certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory.

Ending Birthright Citizenship

In another significant move, Trump signed an executive order ending birthright citizenship for certain children born in the United States.

The order stipulates that U.S. citizenship will not automatically extend to individuals born in the country under the following conditions:

1. When the mother was unlawfully present in the U.S. and the father was not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of the birth.
2. When the mother’s presence in the U.S. was lawful but temporary (e.g., on a tourist, student, or work visa), and the father was not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.

The policy applies only to children born in the U.S. 30 days after the order’s signing. It does not affect children born to lawful permanent residents or others eligible for U.S. citizenship.

Additional Executive Actions

Reports indicate that Trump plans to sign 11 additional executive orders, including:

• Deploying the military to the southern border.
• Resuming construction of the border wall.
• Reinstating the Remain-in-Mexico policy.

These actions signal a return to some of the hardline policies Trump championed during his previous tenure, igniting fresh discussions over their potential impact on domestic and international affairs.