President Donald Trump's recent executive order to end birthright citizenship has sparked legal action in 18 states, the city of San Francisco and the District of Columbia.
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, the plaintiffs described the order as a “blatantly illegal attempt to strip hundreds of thousands of American-born children of their citizenship based on their ancestry.”
The lawsuit, brought by 18 Democratic attorneys general, accuses Trump of attempting to dismantle a “long-standing and well-established constitutional principle” through an executive order.
According to the lawsuit, the president lacks authority to “rewrite or nullify a constitutional amendment or duly enacted statute” and cannot unilaterally decide who qualifies for citizenship under the 14th Amendment.
The executive order, signed hours after Trump was sworn in on Monday, directs federal agencies to stop issuing citizenship documents to children born in the United States to undocumented mothers or mothers in the country on temporary visas, unless the father are a US citizen or permanent resident. .
This measure, which will take effect next month, could affect approximately 150,000 children born annually to non-citizen parents without legal status.
The lawsuit warns that these children could lose access to essential services, including educational and health care programs, and could become stateless.
READ ALSO: Trump signs executive order to stop birthright citizenship in the US.
States also expressed concern about the loss of federal funding for services provided to children, regardless of their immigration status.
“President Trump’s attempt to unilaterally end birthright citizenship is a flagrant violation of our Constitution,” New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said at a news conference.
He emphasized that birthright citizenship has been a fundamental rule for more than 150 years and stated: “This is not just an attack on the law. “It is an attack on the very fabric of this nation.”
California Attorney General Rob Bonta reaffirmed the states' commitment to upholding constitutional rights, saying, “We stand ready to take on the challenges of a second Trump administration to ensure that in California our progress continues and prevails.”
Additionally, nonprofit groups in Massachusetts and New Hampshire have filed separate federal lawsuits challenging the executive order. Meanwhile, the states are seeking a preliminary injunction to block implementation of the order and prevent any action to enforce it.
New York Attorney General Letitia James highlighted the historical importance of birthright citizenship, saying: “This fundamental right to birthright citizenship, rooted in the 14th Amendment and born from the ashes of slavery, is a cornerstone of our nation’s commitment to justice.”
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