By Legal Battle Looms as States, Cities Challenge Trump’s Order to End Birthright Citizenship
Twenty-four Democratic-led states and cities have filed lawsuits challenging President Donald Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship, becoming the first constitutional battle over one of the administration’s key policies.
The lawsuits argue that the order, signed Monday, violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees citizenship to all individuals born on American soil.
“Despite the President’s broad authority over immigration policy, the Citizenship Stripping Order exceeds the legal limits of executive power,” reads a lawsuit filed by 18 states, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco in a Massachusetts federal court.
According to CNN, Legal experts suggest the case could escalate to the Supreme Court, potentially becoming a landmark decision for Trump’s second-term agenda.
The Massachusetts filing would be reviewed by the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where judges have traditionally been Democratic appointees posing major challenge for Trump who is a Republican.
The Supreme Court has previously upheld the principle of birthright citizenship, which is also reinforced by a federal law predating the ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868.
“This is an issue deeply embedded in the nation’s fabric,” said New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, co-leading the lawsuit.
“Birthright citizenship has been part of the Constitution for over 150 years and upheld by the Supreme Court twice. The President cannot unilaterally overturn it with an executive order.”
Additional lawsuits have been filed across the country. Attorneys general in Washington, Arizona, Oregon, and Illinois submitted a similar legal challenge in Seattle federal court, falling under the jurisdiction of the traditionally progressive 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Several advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and immigration rights organizations, have also taken legal action, seeking a preliminary injunction to halt the policy’s implementation.
The lawsuits aim to block the policy from taking effect, arguing that it undermines constitutional protections and the rule of law.
Critics claim that removing birthright citizenship would destabilize the legal status of millions of Americans born in the country.
