On Inauguration Day, President Donald Trump signed an executive order in the Oval Office that eliminates birthright citizenship. The executive order is considered a “flagrantly illegal” effort to change a right that is “woven into the very fabric of our country,” according to a lawsuit filed in Massachusetts federal court overnight. The lawsuit was initiated by an undocumented pregnant woman, who is expected to give birth in March, along with two nonprofit organizations, and it is anticipated to be one of many legal challenges against the executive order aimed at redefining the 14th Amendment’s assurance of citizenship for almost everyone born in the United States. This lawsuit requests the Massachusetts District Court to rule the executive order unconstitutional and to issue an injunction to stop the enforcement of Trump’s directive. Additionally, late Monday night, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lodged a lawsuit contesting the executive order.
“Denying citizenship to U.S.-born children is not only unconstitutional – it’s also a reckless and ruthless repudiation of American values,” said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero in a statement. “Birthright citizenship is part of what makes the United States the strong and dynamic nation that it is. This order seeks to repeat one of the gravest errors in American history, by creating a permanent subclass of people born in the U.S. who are denied full rights as Americans. We will not let this attack on newborns and future generations of Americans go unchallenged. The Trump administration’s overreach is so egregious that we are confident we will ultimately prevail,”
In their filing, the organizations stated, “For families throughout America today, birthright citizenship embodies the assurance that their children can realize their full potential as Americans. It signifies that children born in this country can aspire to be doctors, lawyers, teachers, entrepreneurs, or even president—dreams that would be denied if their citizenship were revoked due to their parents’ immigration status.”
During a call with reporters on Monday morning, incoming White House officials discussed a range of executive orders and other measures the new Trump administration intended to implement regarding border and immigration policies.
Incoming officials indicated that Trump would declare a national emergency at the border and define the military’s role in protecting U.S. territory. Planned actions include reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy, ending “Catch and Release,” and completing the southern border wall.
They would designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, halt asylum claims at non-official entry points, and pause refugee resettlement for four months. Further, Trump would enhance vetting of migrants, create task forces against undocumented gang members, and restore the death penalty for murders of law enforcement by undocumented migrants. While officials described this as a preview of actions to come, not all orders are expected to take effect immediately, and many will require international cooperation and could lead to legal challenges.
