Wed Feb 05 17:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Executive Order

**Baltimore, MD** – A federal judge has issued a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking former President Donald Trump’s executive order that aimed to end birthright citizenship for children born in the US to undocumented or temporary legal residents. US District Judge Deborah Boardman ruled on Wednesday that the order is likely unconstitutional, contradicting the 14th Amendment and over 125 years of Supreme Court precedent.

The ruling, hailed by immigrant rights groups, follows a similar injunction issued by another judge earlier. Judge Boardman stated that the order “conflicts with the plain language of the 14th Amendment…and runs counter to our nation’s 250-year history of citizenship by birth.” She emphasized the “irreparable injury” the order would inflict on affected families, denying children their rights and creating uncertainty for parents.

The lawsuit was filed in Maryland by five pregnant women and two immigrant-rights groups, including the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project. The judge’s decision to grant a nationwide injunction ensures complete relief for the groups’ broad membership.

The Trump administration, represented by attorney Eric Hamilton, argued that the 14th Amendment’s framers did not intend for birthright citizenship to be exploited by undocumented immigrants or temporary visitors. However, Judge Boardman rejected this argument, stating that the executive order itself provided sufficient grounds to assess its legality.

The administration is expected to appeal the decision, potentially leading to the case reaching the Supreme Court. Several other challenges to the order are pending in various states. Legal experts anticipate the matter will ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court. The order, signed on January 20th and titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” sought to deny birth certificates to children born in the US to parents who were either undocumented or in the country temporarily. The injunction temporarily prevents this policy from being implemented.

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