Immigration Groups Sue Trump Over Order to End U.S. Birthright Citizenship
In a major legal challenge with deep constitutional implications, a coalition of immigration advocacy groups has filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump over his controversial executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to non-citizen parents. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, argues that Trump’s action violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and could have profound effects on millions of Americans if upheld.
The executive order, issued during Trump’s post-presidency political campaign efforts, seeks to deny automatic citizenship to children born on U.S. soil if their parents are in the country illegally or on temporary visas. This directly challenges the long-standing legal interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.”
Legal experts and civil rights organizations have criticized the order as both unconstitutional and deeply disruptive. The plaintiffs, which include the National Immigration Law Center, the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, and several affected families, argue that the move would effectively create a second class of children born in America — one with fewer rights and protections than others.
“This is a direct attack on the Constitution and on the very idea of equality under the law,” said Maria Torres, an attorney for one of the advocacy groups involved in the lawsuit. “No president has the authority to unilaterally rewrite the Constitution or deny citizenship to those who are clearly entitled to it.”
The Trump administration had floated the idea of ending birthright citizenship during his first term in office, but this new order, issued in a personal capacity with support from conservative legal activists, marks a renewed effort to push the policy forward — and potentially provoke a legal battle that could reach the Supreme Court.
Supporters of the order argue that the current interpretation of the 14th Amendment encourages illegal immigration and creates what they call “anchor baby” loopholes. Critics, however, say that such terminology is dehumanizing and that the Constitution was clearly written to protect the rights of individuals regardless of the legal status of their parents.
The lawsuit asserts that the executive order would destabilize families, create stateless individuals, and roll back over a century of legal precedent. The landmark 1898 Supreme Court case United States v. Wong Kim Ark affirmed that children born in the U.S. to foreign nationals are U.S. citizens — a decision that remains a cornerstone of immigration and civil rights law.
With Trump continuing to wield influence in the Republican Party and hinting at a possible future presidential run, the legal battle over birthright citizenship could become a central issue in the broader national debate over immigration policy and constitutional rights.
For now, the lawsuit seeks an immediate injunction to block the order from taking effect. As the case winds its way through the courts, the outcome could have sweeping consequences — not just for immigrants, but for the definition of American citizenship itself.
