Nearly 1 in 10 Babies Born in America Were ‘Anchor Babies,’ New Data Reveals

The numbers are in, and they paint a picture that every American needs to see.

A new report from the Pew Research Center reveals that nearly 1 in 10 babies born in the United States in 2023 were born to illegal immigrant or temporary visa-holding mothers. That’s 320,000 children out of roughly 3.6 million total births. It’s the highest number since 2010.

The data lands at a critical moment. The Supreme Court is actively weighing the future of birthright citizenship in the landmark case Trump v. Barbara, after President Trump signed an executive order on his first day back in office seeking to end automatic citizenship for children born to parents who are in the country illegally. If the Court sides with the administration, roughly 260,000 of those babies would not have qualified for citizenship under the new rules.

Libs of TikTok broke the story for millions of followers:

BREAKING: New data from Pew Research Center reveals nearly 10% of all U.S. births in 2023 were anchor babies

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 19, 2026

Here’s the breakdown: approximately 245,000 of those births were to mothers who were unauthorized immigrants, with fathers who were also non-citizens or non-permanent residents. Another 15,000 involved mothers holding temporary legal status. And 60,000 were born to illegal immigrant mothers where the father happened to be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.

This isn’t a new trend, either. Back in 2006, the number hit a peak of 380,000 births. It dipped after that but has been climbing for three straight years. The 2023 figure of 320,000 represents a return to levels not seen in over a decade.

Breitbart reported on the findings and what they mean for the ongoing legal battle:

Under the current erroneous birthright citizenship interpretation, these children automatically become citizens and unlock food stamps, welfare, specialized schooling, and other taxpayer-funded benefits.

Heritage Foundation analyst Brandy Perez Carbaugh stated: “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.”

That Heritage Foundation analysis cuts right to the heart of the issue. The system as it stands creates a massive incentive. And the numbers prove people are acting on it.

The story quickly gained traction across social media, with Leading Report sharing the data:

‘Anchor babies’ reach nearly 10% of all US births, according to new data, per NYP.

— Leading Report (@LeadingReport) April 19, 2026

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. Barbara on April 1, and a ruling is expected by late June or early July. If the justices uphold the president’s executive order, it would mark one of the most significant shifts in immigration policy in a generation. The 14th Amendment’s “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” clause is at the center of the debate, and the outcome could reshape who qualifies for citizenship at birth on American soil.