‘Anchor babies’ reach nearly 10% of all US births: new data

 Nearly 10% of US births in 2023 came from illegal immigrant mothers, according to newly published research.

Pew Research Center revealed that 320,000 of the 3.6 million babies born in the US that year were anchor babies who would not qualify for birthright citizenship if President Trump’s executive order is upheld by the Supreme Court.

“Under the current erroneous birthright citizenship interpretation, these children automatically become citizens and unlock food stamps, welfare, specialized schooling for English education, and eventually college aid,” Brandy Perez Carbaugh of the Heritage Foundation told The Post.

A pregnant asylum seeking migrant rests in the shelter at Annunciation House in El Paso, Texas on May 18, 2022.New York Post

Of those 320,000, the center said 245,000 were born to parents who were illegal immigrants.

Another 15,000 babies were born to mothers who had temporary legal status, while the fathers were not citizens or lawful permanent residents.

The remaining 60,000 were born to illegal alien mothers while the child’s father was a citizen or lawful permanent resident.

The massive number of US anchor baby births in 2023 is the highest total since 2010, when 325,000 babies were born to illegal immigrant parents, according to Pew data.

The number of anchor baby births in the US has increased for three consecutive years.

Immigration hawks warn illegal aliens will continue to abuse the generous laws in the Land of the Free while legal US citizens foot the bill.

“High volumes of illegal and temporary aliens are having children in the US because they are exploiting the decades-old erroneous interpretation that such children are US citizens,” said Carbaugh. 

“Emergency Medicaid loopholes allow illegal aliens to qualify for free labor, delivery, and often prenatal care in some states, so taxpayers pay for these ‘anchor babies,’” said the expert.

“This has brought alien parents both a claimed shield against deportation and financial benefits through the eligible child. Americans cover the cost as they struggle to provide for their own families,” she said.

The Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments April 1 in Trump v. Barbara, a landmark challenge to the president’s executive order limiting birthright citizenship, which has been a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment since 1868.

https://nypost.com/2026/04/18/us-news/anchor-babies-reach-nearly-10-of-all-us-births-new-data/