Judge blocks Trump’s latest birthright citizenship order

The update

U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman has issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily blocking President Trump’s latest executive order. The order aimed to deny automatic U.S. citizenship to children born in the country whose parents are deemed “alien enemies” or foreign government employees, and those involved in “birth tourism.” The judge ruled that the plaintiffs in the case are likely to succeed in showing the order violates their rights under the 14th Amendment.

Why it matters

This ruling comes after the Supreme Court struck down an earlier attempt to end birthright citizenship last year. The 14th Amendment grants citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.” The judge emphasized that the Supreme Court’s prior ruling established the citizenship of the plaintiffs as the law of the land, making the new order unconstitutional as applied to them.

What to watch

Attorneys for the government argued that the Supreme Court’s previous ruling did not prevent the administration from issuing rules to narrow birthright citizenship. The administration has applied the “alien enemy” designation to drug cartels. The next steps will likely involve further legal challenges to determine the scope of the injunction and whether the administration can appeal the ruling.

Sources

• cbsnews.com — Judge's ruling, specific groups targeted by the order, and the 14th Amendment argument.
• thehill.com — Confirmation of the judge and the preliminary injunction details.