Lawsuits Against Trump’s Executive Order On Birthright Citizenship
The legal response to United States President Donald Trump’s executive order revoking birthright citizenship has been swift, with lawsuits filed by rights groups and states challenging its constitutionality, reports Al Jazeera. The controversial order, signed on the first day of Trump’s second term, seeks to deny citizenship to children born on US soil to undocumented parents or those on temporary work visas.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit on Monday, arguing that the order violates the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to all individuals born or naturalised in the US. Cody Wofsy, Deputy Director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, stated, “Birthright citizenship is central to America’s identity. Denying it is illegal and profoundly cruel.”
Eighteen states have also launched legal challenges, with California Attorney General Rob Bonta vowing to fight the order. “Trump’s move undermines a fundamental right enshrined in our Constitution. We’ll see him in court,” he said.
The order, which Trump claims clarifies the Fourteenth Amendment, contends that children of undocumented parents are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the US and are therefore excluded from citizenship. This interpretation contradicts an 1898 Supreme Court ruling affirming that children born in the US to immigrant parents are entitled to citizenship.
The lawsuits argue that the order endangers thousands of children, stripping them of basic rights, including access to government services, passports, and employment. Theo Oshiro of Make the Road New York called the order “an affront to fairness, equality, and inclusivity.”
Beyond birthright citizenship, Trump faces mounting legal challenges to his 26 executive orders, including those targeting diversity programmes and transgender recognition. The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) has sued over a separate order easing the dismissal of federal employees, claiming it violates civil service laws.
Legal experts predict that these lawsuits will test the scope of presidential power and could result in significant rulings from the Supreme Court.
