Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order
A federal judge in New Hampshire has intervened against President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at eliminating birthright citizenship. On Thursday, the judge granted national class certification status to all infants affected by this order.
U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante mentioned that a written ruling would clarify his decision by the end of the day. Importantly, he limited the class certification to infants alone, excluding parents from the equation.
In his ruling, Laplante emphasized that citizenship, as outlined in the 14th Amendment, could not simply be stripped and warned that the proposed policy changes could lead to “irreparable damage.”
There’s a bit of urgency here. The Department of Justice has indicated that the Trump administration might start enforcing the order this month.
Interestingly, the Supreme Court had previously reviewed this case, ruling 6-3 that plaintiffs seeking national relief should file their cases as a class action. However, it didn’t delve into the legality of the executive order, which has become a legal basis for the ongoing dispute.
Last week, federal judges were told by Justice Department officials that the plan is to implement Trump’s order on July 27, despite a temporary 30-day stay. This decision seems to indicate a quick response from the administration.
Trump’s order, signed on the very first day of his second term, instructs U.S. government agencies to deny citizenship documents to children born to undocumented immigrants.
The subsequent legal battles began almost immediately after the order was issued, with over 22 states and various immigration rights groups challenging it. Initial attempts to halt the order were made in lower courts and eventually made their way to the Supreme Court for review.
It’s worth noting that the Supreme Court’s ruling touched on a number of fresh cases brought forth by the ACLU and other advocacy groups that have re-filed class action lawsuits in New Hampshire and Maryland.
Lawyers for the Trump administration reiterated last week that the Supreme Court’s decision didn’t impede other proceedings, notifying that they would soon roll out public guidance related to the order. Advocates remain concerned, suggesting that the potential consequences of implementing this order could be “devastating.”
