Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship

The order, which sought to limit citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants and temporary visa holders, faces widespread legal and constitutional challenges.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20, 2025, targeting birthright citizenship, challenging the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause.
The order sought to deny citizenship to children born in the U.S. if neither parent is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, including those on temporary visas.
A federal judge in Seattle issued a temporary restraining order, calling the executive action 'blatantly unconstitutional' and citing strong legal precedent, including the 1898 Wong Kim Ark case.
Legal scholars and historians argue the order contradicts over a century of judicial rulings and the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship established post-Civil War.
More than 20 states and various advocacy groups have filed lawsuits, with critics warning the order could render many children stateless and deepen immigration-related inequalities.