Trump’s Birthright Order Faces 18-State Lawsuit

President Trump’s new executive order to end birthright citizenship has triggered a lawsuit by 18 states and two major cities.

Key Facts:

• Eighteen Democratic attorneys general, plus San Francisco and Washington, D.C., filed suit in federal court.
• The states are CA, CO, CT, DE, HI, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, RI, VT, and WI.
• The executive order blocks issuing U.S. passports and citizenship documents to many children whose parents are not lawful residents.
• Plaintiffs argue this action violates the 14th Amendment’s clause granting citizenship to those born in the U.S.
• The order is set to be enforced in 30 days unless courts intervene.

The Rest of The Story:

The lawsuit claims the administration lacks authority to reinterpret the 14th Amendment.
Lawyers for the 18 states and two cities say birthright citizenship is a core principle rooted in America’s post–Civil War history.

These states want a preliminary injunction to stop the order immediately.

Meanwhile, supporters of the move believe it will address what they consider an abuse of the law by those crossing the border to give birth on U.S. soil.

Commentary:

Birthright citizenship has long been seen by some as a direct incentive for illegal immigration.
Many believe that pregnant women enter the country unlawfully in hopes of securing a path to residency through their newborn.

Ending this practice would remove the motivation for such border crossings.

Whether the president can achieve this through an executive order is up to the courts to decide.

The Bottom Line:

This legal battle revolves around whether the Constitution guarantees citizenship for children of non-residents.

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The decision will have far-reaching effects on U.S. immigration policy.