Trump Birthright Citizenship Policy Blocked Again After Supreme Court Signals Shift
A federal judge has once again halted the Trump administration’s efforts to restrict birthright citizenship, following a recent Supreme Court decision that cast doubt on the legality of the policy. This marks a significant setback for President Trump's long-standing ambition to curtail citizenship for children born to non-citizens in the United States.
The ruling, issued on Thursday in New Hampshire, reinforces previous court decisions that have consistently rejected the administration’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment. The amendment, ratified in 1868, grants citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.”
The Background of the Policy: President Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to end birthright citizenship, arguing that it incentivizes illegal immigration. In 2018, his administration issued an executive order attempting to limit citizenship to those born in the U.S. with parents who are citizens or lawful permanent residents. This order faced immediate legal challenges.
The Supreme Court's Influence: The recent Supreme Court ruling, while not a definitive statement on the matter, signaled a reluctance to endorse the administration’s policy. The Court declined to hear a case related to the executive order, effectively leaving in place lower court rulings that found it unlawful. This decision was widely interpreted as a sign that the Court is unlikely to support the administration’s restrictive interpretation of the 14th Amendment.
The Judge's Decision: The federal judge in New Hampshire, citing the Supreme Court's actions and the established legal precedent, issued an injunction preventing the administration from denying citizenship to babies born in the U.S. based on their parents’ immigration status. The judge stated that the administration’s policy was “unlikely to succeed on its merits” and that allowing it to proceed would cause “irreparable harm” to families.
Implications and Future Outlook: This latest legal blow underscores the challenges President Trump faces in attempting to overhaul the nation’s immigration laws. While the administration could potentially pursue further legal avenues, the Supreme Court’s signals and the consistent rulings from lower courts suggest that their efforts to restrict birthright citizenship are likely to remain unsuccessful. The decision will provide some measure of relief to immigrant communities and advocates who have long opposed the policy.
The case highlights the ongoing legal battles surrounding immigration policy in the United States and the complex constitutional questions surrounding birthright citizenship. It remains to be seen whether the administration will attempt to circumvent these rulings through alternative means.
Nate Raymond of Reuters contributed to this report.