A US judge has put a stop to President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship for some residents, as legal challenges intensify. The ruling, issued by a New Hampshire judge, grants a temporary halt to the implementation of Trump's order, allowing the case to advance through the courts.
This class-action lawsuit was initiated by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), representing immigrant families and infants potentially impacted by the restrictions. The judge's decision follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that placed tighter controls on the issuance of universal injunctions by federal courts, although it still permits them through certain legal pathways.
In response to the ruling, White House officials strongly criticized the decision. Spokesman Harrison Fields called the judge's action “an obvious and unlawful attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court’s clear order against universal relief.” He emphasized that the Trump Administration would “vigorously” defend its policies against what they term “rogue district court judges.”
The controversy centers around Trump’s attempt to revoke citizenship rights for children born to undocumented immigrants and foreign visitors, part of his broader immigration crackdown. The Constitution guarantees citizenship to anyone born on US soil, a principle Trump has sought to alter early in his presidency.
The ACLU argues the executive order is unconstitutional and harmful to families, with the judge allowing the lawsuit to proceed on behalf of babies affected by the restrictions. The ruling once again stalls a priority initiative for Trump, who now has seven days to appeal the decision.
The effort to limit birthright citizenship traces back to one of Trump’s earliest actions as president, which sparked nationwide legal challenges. Courts across the US have previously issued injunctions as they examined the legality of Trump’s order, leading the administration to appeal to the Supreme Court. In a recent 6-3 ruling, the conservative majority of the Court reined in judges' power to national block presidential policies but did not rule on the constitutionality of Trump’s birthright citizenship order itself. Following the Supreme Court’s decision, Trump’s order was slated to take effect on July 27.
