Immediately after assuming office, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to cancel the birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants in the United States. Following the issuance of this order, 22 states and 2 cities controlled by Democrats filed lawsuits challenging it. Alongside state and city authorities, various civil rights organizations are also joining the legal battle.
This information was reported by The Guardian on Wednesday, January 22.
According to the report, all the lawsuits against the order to cancel birthright citizenship were filed in Boston, Massachusetts, or Concord, New Hampshire.
On Monday, January 20, President Trump was sworn in for a second term as president of the United States. In his inaugural speech, he announced a tough stance against immigrants. He stated that illegal immigration would be stopped, referring to undocumented immigrants as "criminals."
Following that, through the executive order, Trump announced a change to the existing birthright citizenship laws in the U.S., under which children born in the country to undocumented immigrants would no longer automatically receive U.S. citizenship.
Right after taking office, Trump directed federal agencies to ensure that children born to illegal immigrants or those on temporary visas in the U.S. would not be granted U.S. citizenship documents.
On Tuesday, January 21, 22 states, along with the District of Columbia and the city of San Francisco, filed a joint lawsuit against this order in the federal court in Boston. The lawsuit argues that the attempt to strip birthright citizenship is a severe violation of the U.S. Constitution.
The lawsuit further argues that while the president has the authority to propose immigration laws, the directive to revoke citizenship rights is outside the president’s legal jurisdiction.
Before this, the American Civil Liberties Union, several immigrant organizations, and a pregnant woman filed similar lawsuits. These cases are being seen as President Trump's first significant legal challenge after being sworn in for his second term.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, in a statement, said that the state's Attorney General is preparing legal action against Trump's illegal actions. He added that this lawsuit sends a clear message to the Trump administration that they stand for the rights of their residents and their fundamental constitutional rights.
After Trump's executive order was signed, the American Civil Liberties Union issued a statement saying that denying birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. is not only unconstitutional but also a reckless and cruel rejection of American values.
When asked for a comment, the White House did not immediately respond.
Meanwhile, it is expected that lawsuits will also be filed against other Trump orders by Democratic-controlled states and various advisory groups. A lawsuit has already been filed against an order that weakens job security for government employees, which was signed by Republicans, under the leadership of billionaire Elon Musk, through the "Department of Government Efficiency" created by the Trump administration.
In the lawsuits filed in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, if the judges rule on the order, it will be reviewed by the Boston-based First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. All five federal judges of this court were appointed by Democratic presidents, which is a rare occurrence at the national level.
It is still unclear how Trump plans to implement the new rule regarding birthright citizenship. This is because the birthright citizenship privilege is a constitutionally protected issue in the United States. If Trump wants to revoke this constitutional right, he would need to gain the support of two-thirds of the members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
