Overview

• 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.