US President Donald Trump is facing legal challenges after signing an executive order to end automatic citizenship for children born in the United States to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily in the country.
The order, signed on Monday at the White House, is set to take effect in 30 days and directly challenges more than a century of US policy and legal interpretations of the Constitution.
According to a Bloomberg report, immigration advocacy groups swiftly responded by filing a lawsuit in New Hampshire on Monday evening, just hours after Trump formalized the policy change.
During a White House briefing, Trump reaffirmed his stance, stating, “The federal government will not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States. We are also going to enhance vetting and screening of illegal aliens.”
Ending birthright citizenship has been a key aspect of Trump’s Agenda47 policy platform, with his campaign arguing that the Constitution’s 14th Amendment should be interpreted more narrowly. The administration claims that citizenship should apply only to those born and “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States.
The lawsuit will likely lead to a high-profile constitutional battle, as the Justice Department must convince courts to reinterpret the 14th Amendment. Ratified in 1868, the amendment was originally intended to grant citizenship to formerly enslaved individuals.
Its Section 1 states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
While legal scholars debate the meaning of “subject to the jurisdiction thereof,” the US Supreme Court has consistently upheld birthright citizenship for children born on American soil, barring exceptions such as children of foreign diplomats.
The lawsuit could have significant implications for immigration policy and constitutional law in the US. If upheld, Trump’s executive order would mark a major shift in how citizenship is granted, affecting thousands of families across the country.
Legal experts predict a prolonged court battle, with the case potentially reaching the US Supreme Court in the coming months.
