Connect with us

Regional News

Judge Issues Nationwide Injunction Blocking Trump Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship

Published

on

WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Maryland Wednesday issued a nationwide injunction against President Donald Trump’s executive order that aims to limit the right to citizenship for children born in the United States, according to media reports.

Judge Deborah L. Boardman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, nominated by former President Joe Biden, heard the case brought by two nonprofits that represent immigrants and five pregnant women. They, along with their children’s fathers, are living in the United States without legal status.

“Today, virtually every baby born on U.S. soil is a U.S. citizen upon birth,” Boardman said, according to Reuters. “That is the law and tradition of our country. That law and tradition are and will remain the status quo pending the resolution of this case.”

The preliminary injunction is the second against the president’s executive order, after a Seattle, Washington, federal judge on Jan. 23 issued a 14-day injunction.

The executive order, which Trump signed on his first day in office, states that the federal government will not recognize or issue citizenship documentation to any child born after Feb. 19 to parents who are in the country without proper authorization, or if the parent is in the United States on a temporary visa and the other parent is a noncitizen or green card holder.

The Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University Law Center represents the plaintiffs.

The complaint argued the Trump administration’s executive order “is a flagrant violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, a federal statute, and the history underlying the text of those enactments, all of which guarantee the fundamental right to citizenship for all children born in the United States.”

“The children deprived of citizenship have no status or right to remain in the United States with their family, even as their older siblings will often be United States citizens and as their parents will often be authorized to live in the United States,” according to the complaint. “Indeed, these children may not have access to citizenship in any country, leaving them stateless, living forever at the temporary sufferance of wherever they find themselves.”

The complaint also argued that the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the issue in a 1898 case, United States v. Wong Kim Ark.

The Trump administration’s Justice Department argued that the 1898 Supreme Court case is misinterpreted, because Wong Kim Ark’s parents were both in the country with legal status when he was born.

The Justice Department argued that birthright citizenship should be limited to parents with “permanent domicile and residence in the United States.”

“Illegal aliens are not permitted to be in the U.S. at all,” Justice Department attorney Eric Hamilton said, according to Reuters.

Last updated 4:29 p.m., Feb. 5, 2025


by Ariana Figueroa, Virginia Mercury


Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.

Front Royal, VA
79°
Sunny
6:43 am7:44 pm EDT
Feels like: 79°F
Wind: 7mph SSE
Humidity: 26%
Pressure: 30.11"Hg
UV index: 0
SatSunMon
72°F / 46°F
75°F / 63°F
82°F / 63°F
Opinion5 hours ago

Front Royal, Virginia. Vacation Destination?

Crime/Court6 hours ago

Virginia State Police Report Major Drug Seizures in Weekly Crime Suppression Effort

State News6 hours ago

Virginia Secures Birth Control Access as Other Southern States Eye Abortion Pill Manufacturers

State News7 hours ago

SCC Approves Loudoun Transmission Line, Nixes Undergrounding; Final Route to be Determined

State News7 hours ago

Slate of New Virginia Laws Address Health Care and Housing Affordability

Obituaries8 hours ago

James J. Coverston Sr. (1942 – 2026)

Business Growth Series9 hours ago

Business Growth Series: Your Biggest Problem Isn’t Competition — It’s Being Overlooked

Health11 hours ago

Why Many Experts Say a Concussion Should Be Called a Brain Injury

Crime/Court1 day ago

Missouri Man Arrested in Undercover Operation Targeting Online Crimes Against Children

Regional News1 day ago

Trump Tax Plan Credited With Higher Refunds, Lower Taxes

State News1 day ago

Spanberger Vetoes Fairfax Casino Bill, Citing Local Opposition

Community Events1 day ago

Blue Ridge Point-to-Point Races Return Saturday at Woodley Farm

State News1 day ago

Legislative Effort to Buy Monroe’s Loudoun Estate on Pause, Budget Effort Underway

Regional News1 day ago

US House Democrats Call for Congress to Come Back Into Session for Iran War Debate

State News1 day ago

Virginia to Raise Minimum Wage to $15 by 2028 Under New Law

State News1 day ago

Spanberger Signs Bills to Aid Low-Income Utility Customers, Manage Power Demand

State News1 day ago

FTC Wants to Hear from Renters About ‘Unfair and Deceptive Housing Fees’

State News1 day ago

As Redistricting Referendum Nears, Spanberger Balances Governing and Campaigning

State News1 day ago

Drive for More Housing Sparks Rare Bipartisanship in Statehouses, Including in Virginia

Community Events1 day ago

Community Breakfast at Riverton Church Serves More Than Just Pancakes

Local Government1 day ago

Proposed Electric Substation Declared Compliant with Comprehensive Plan at County Planning Commission Meeting

Obituaries1 day ago

Christopher Todd Thomas (1975 – 2026)

Historically Speaking1 day ago

Constitution 101: The Commerce Clause

Interesting Things to Know1 day ago

What Factors Are Most Likely to Affect the Cost of a Funeral?

Community Events1 day ago

Learn to Spot Scams: Free Workshop Set for June 2