Overview

• U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante certified a class covering any U.S.-born child at risk of losing citizenship under President Trump’s January executive order
• The judge found that denying birthright citizenship would inflict irreparable harm and blocked enforcement of the policy nationwide
• Laplante stayed his ruling for seven days so the Justice Department can file an appeal before the order is set to take effect on July 27
• Thursday’s case marks the first major test of the Supreme Court’s June 27 decision that limited universal injunctions but preserved class-action relief
• Opponents warn the policy could strip more than 150,000 newborns of citizenship annually, while the administration maintains it conforms with the Constitution