In a decisive legal ruling, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin sustained a nationwide injunction against President Donald Trump's executive order that sought to terminate birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to non-citizen parents. The order, which President Trump signed on his first day in office in January 2025, has been a focal point of intense legal scrutiny and public debate.
The ruling came on Friday when Judge Sorokin, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, reaffirmed his earlier decision to block the policy's enforcement. This ruling stands in contrast to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that limited lower courts' abilities to issue nationwide injunctions, intensifying the legal battle over the executive order's constitutionality.
At the core of the controversy is the Trump administration's interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment. The administration argues that children born in the U.S. to parents who are either in the country illegally or temporarily do not fall under U.S. jurisdiction, and thus, are not entitled to automatic citizenship. This interpretation challenges long-standing legal and constitutional precedents that guarantee citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, irrespective of their parents' immigration status.
Judge Sorokin's injunction was granted in response to a lawsuit filed by over a dozen states that oppose the executive order. The states argued that ending birthright citizenship would have dire consequences for numerous communities, pointing to the constitutional protections of the Fourteenth Amendment. They also contend that the executive order threatens state funding for critical public services, many of which require citizenship status for eligibility.
Earlier this week, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld a similar nationwide injunction, further complicating the administration's efforts to enforce the policy. Additionally, a federal judge in New Hampshire issued a ruling in a class-action lawsuit this month, prohibiting the executive order's nationwide application.
Demonstrations have erupted in response to the controversial executive order, with protestors, including families with children, rallying outside the Supreme Court building. These public protests reflect the deep divisions and high-stakes implications of the birthright citizenship debate, which touches on pivotal issues of immigration policy and constitutional law.
As multiple federal courts issue rulings against the executive order and the Supreme Court prepares to revisit the matter, the dispute over birthright citizenship shows no signs of abating. The legal and social ramifications of this debate will likely continue to unfold in the coming months, shaping the landscape of U.S. immigration policy and constitutional interpretation.
