At least 22 US states file lawsuit against Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order

In a significant legal challenge, twenty two states along with the District of Columbia and San Francisco, have filed a lawsuit to block President Donald Trump’s recent executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship.

The order, which seeks to alter a longstanding immigration practice that grants citizenship to all U.S.-born children, has drawn criticism from Democratic attorneys general and immigrant rights advocates who argue that the right to citizenship is established law.

New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin is leading the coalition, emphasizing that the president cannot unilaterally eliminate the protections provided by the 14th Amendment.

He stated, “The president cannot, with a stroke of a pen, write the 14th Amendment out of existence, period.”

The executive order, signed on January 20, asserts that children of noncitizens should not automatically receive citizenship. It specifically excludes those whose parents are not legally present in the U.S. or are not U.S. citizens themselves.

The White House has expressed readiness to confront the states in court, dismissing the lawsuits as a continuation of partisan resistance.

Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields stated that critics need to align with the will of the people, rather than oppose the president’s agenda.

The lawsuit not only includes states like California, Massachusetts, and New York but also features immigrant rights groups that argue the order is unconstitutional.

They highlight the potential harm to families, particularly those like “Carmen,” a woman who has lived in the U.S. for over 15 years but lacks citizenship.

This legal battle over birthright citizenship is poised to be lengthy, raising questions about the future of immigration policy in the United States.