Congressman Brian Babin, R-Texas, center, Chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, speaks about the introduction of the Birthright Citizenship Act at a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.
© Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(Seattle, WA) – A federal judge in Seattle has at least temporarily blocked President Trump’s executive order that limits birthright citizenship. It was on Monday following his inauguration when Trump penned the order, which then led to a lawsuit.
Trump’s executive order limited “birthright citizenship,” as contained within the 14th Amendment. The concept refers to children born to parents who recently immigrated — as for years the established precedent has been to consider those children US citizens. But the concept of “birthright citizenship’ is controversial, and only the US and Canada continue to follow the doctrine.
Under his order, Trump would limit birthright citizenship to children born on US soil — to at least one parent who is either a US citizen or permanent resident. New Jersey and New York have signed on to a lawsuit that aimed to stop it. The issue is likely to go all the way to the US Supreme Court under what could end up being a landmark case.
