Birthright Citizenship Order Blocked Again Amid Legal Battles

A judge has temporarily blocked an executive order from President Trump aimed at limiting birthright citizenship, responding to a class-action lawsuit led by the ACLU. This ruling follows a Supreme Court decision altering the issuance of universal injunctions, as the executive order faces challenges regarding its legality.

A New Hampshire judge has once more delayed the implementation of President Donald Trump's controversial executive order seeking to eliminate birthright citizenship for certain residents in the United States. This ruling comes as part of a class-action lawsuit spearheaded by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of immigrant parents and their infants, claiming the order is unconstitutional and harmful to their rights.

The legal decision arrives in the wake of the Supreme Court imposing new limitations on federal courts regarding the issuance of universal injunctions. Nevertheless, the ruling permits specific legal pathways for such injunctions to proceed. The ACLU's lawsuit reflects the new standards set by the Supreme Court, clearly striving to protect the interests of children who could be affected by the executive order.

The Trump Administration responded vehemently, challenging the judge’s ruling. Harrison Fields, a spokesman for the White House, labeled the decision as unlawful and an attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court's recent command against nationwide relief, claiming it undermines the rule of law and exploits class action certification processes.

The Constitution guarantees citizenship for individuals born on U.S. soil; Trump's attempt to rescind that right pertains specifically to children of undocumented immigrants and foreign visitors in his broader crackdown on immigration. The ACLU’s class-action suit seeks to halt what they consider an infringement on constitutional rights, and the judge ruled it may advance on behalf of those young children who would be directly affected by the proposed restrictions.

This executive order, one of Trump’s earliest initiatives, faced pushback from various courts that issued nationwide injunctions while grappling with its legal implications. The Trump administration has challenged these injunctions, arguing that the judiciary lacks the power to block presidential orders on such a large scale. Following the Supreme Court's recent decision, which curtailed the scope of judicial authority, the executive order was slated to come into force on July 27.

As this legal battle unfolds, the judge has provided a seven-day window for the government to appeal the temporary halt on Trump’s birthright citizenship directive. The ongoing fight reflects broader tensions around immigration policy in the U.S. and the ongoing debate about the constitutional right to citizenship.