Wed Jan 22 01:17:24 UTC 2025: ## 22 States Sue to Block Trump’s Effort to End Birthright Citizenship
**Seattle, WA –** A coalition of 22 state attorneys general filed lawsuits on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, to challenge President Donald Trump’s executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship in the United States. The order, issued late Monday, seeks to overturn the century-old practice enshrined in the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to all individuals born within U.S. borders regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
The lawsuits argue that the President’s action is unconstitutional, exceeding his authority and effectively rewriting the 14th Amendment. Attorneys General, including New Jersey’s Matt Platkin and Connecticut’s William Tong, emphasized that birthright citizenship is established law and cannot be unilaterally revoked by executive order. The White House countered, characterizing the lawsuits as partisan resistance and expressing readiness to defend the order in court.
Trump’s executive order defines specific exceptions to birthright citizenship, denying automatic citizenship to children born to parents who are not U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, even if the mother was legally present in the U.S. on a temporary basis. The order will take effect February 19, 2025, and its retroactive implications remain unclear.
The legal battle centers on the interpretation of the 14th Amendment’s citizenship clause. While supporters cite the amendment’s clear language, Trump and his allies argue for stricter criteria for citizenship acquisition. The U.S. is one of a small number of countries that grant birthright citizenship (jus soli).
In addition to the states’ lawsuits, the District of Columbia, San Francisco, and several immigrant rights groups have also filed separate legal challenges. These actions highlight the deep division surrounding birthright citizenship and the potential for a prolonged legal fight over this fundamental aspect of U.S. immigration policy.
First Piper 