A federal judge in Maryland has issued a nationwide preliminary injunction against President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship, following arguments presented by five pregnant undocumented women.
The big picture: The lawsuit filed by the women and two nonprofits challenges Trump’s executive order, which they argue violates the constitution and federal laws, throwing into doubt the citizenship status of thousands of children across the country.
- Lawyers from the Department of Justice defended the executive order, claiming it aims to correct past misinterpretations of the 14th Amendment and prevent birthright citizenship from incentivizing illegal immigration.
- Judge Deborah Boardman is now set to consider a longer-lasting preliminary injunction against Trump’s order on birthright citizenship.
Driving the news: The executive order had previously been temporarily halted by a federal judge in Seattle, who criticized the Department of Justice for attempting to uphold what he deemed a “blatantly unconstitutional” order.
- Trump has vowed to appeal any ruling declaring his executive order unconstitutional, with the preliminary injunction providing an initial opportunity for appeal to a higher court.
- In the lawsuit, individual plaintiffs, including a pregnant medical doctor from Venezuela with temporary protected status, voiced concerns that the executive order could render their future children stateless amidst crises in their home countries.
