A federal judge in the United States has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship, marking one of the first major legal setbacks for his administration’s sweeping Day 1 actions.
The order, which aimed to deny automatic U.S. citizenship to children born on American soil to undocumented immigrants, was immediately met with multiple lawsuits from civil rights organizations and state attorneys general.
The ruling halts enforcement of the order while legal challenges proceed, with opponents arguing it violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. In a lawsuit filed by 19 Democratic state attorneys general, the city of San Francisco, and the District of Columbia, plaintiffs accused Trump of attempting to eliminate a “well-established and longstanding Constitutional principle.” The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which also challenged the order in court, stated, “We will not let this attack on newborns and future generations of Americans go unchallenged. The Trump administration’s overreach is so egregious that we are confident we will ultimately prevail.”
Trump, however, defended his decision, saying, “We have very good grounds. People have wanted to do this for decades.” He has vowed to appeal the ruling, reinforcing his broader agenda of immigration reform.
The decision adds to a growing list of legal battles Trump faces over his record-breaking number of executive actions, which also include measures on immigration, energy policy, and gender recognition.
During his inauguration speech, he declared, “With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense. It’s all about common sense.”
