Wed Jan 22 05:39:18 IST 2025: ## Democratic States Sue Trump Over Birthright Citizenship Executive Order

**SACRAMENTO, CA –** A coalition of 22 Democratic-leaning states, led by California and New York, filed lawsuits on Tuesday to block President Trump’s executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship in the United States. The order, issued shortly after Trump’s inauguration, seeks to prevent the automatic granting of citizenship to children born in the US to undocumented or temporary residents, a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment.

The lawsuits, filed in federal courts in Massachusetts and Washington state, argue that the executive order is unconstitutional and an overreach of presidential authority. California Attorney General Rob Bonta called the order “blatantly unconstitutional and un-American,” stating that the states are seeking an immediate injunction to prevent its implementation. A similar suit was also filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other advocacy groups in New Hampshire.

The 14th Amendment, ratified after the Civil War, explicitly grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the US and subject to its jurisdiction. Trump’s order, slated to take effect 30 days after its signing, would deny citizenship documents such as passports and birth certificates to children whose mothers are not US citizens or permanent residents, and whose fathers are also not US citizens or permanent residents.

Trump acknowledged the likelihood of legal challenges, stating, “I think we have good grounds, but you could be right. I mean, we’ll find out.” He also incorrectly claimed that the US is the only country with birthright citizenship, a statement contradicted by the practice in dozens of other nations, including Canada and Mexico. The legal battle over the constitutionality of the executive order is expected to be protracted.

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