Fourth Judge Acts to Block DJT’s Attempted Restriction of Birthright Citizenship

| 0

Federal District Court Judge Joseph Laplante certified a class action lawsuit for all children potentially affected by Donald Trump’s executive order that attempts to curtail birthright citizenship and, through the class, issued a nationwide preliminary injunction against the EO.

The certified class is all children born in the USA after 20 February 2025 whose citizenship would be denied under EO Trump signed that day.

Recently the Supreme Court stripped lower courts of the power to issue nationwide injunctions. Within hours after that decision, the lawsuit being heard by Laplante tapped an exception: Federal judges can still order nationwide relief for class actions.

Trump’s EO attempts to restrict birthright citizenship to children who have at least one parent with USA citizenship or lawful permanent residency, and deny it for children born to undocumented immigrants, tourists, and temporary visa holders. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution has no such carve-outs.

Multiple legal challenges to the EO are in the courts and three other judges have taken action to block it. Laplante’s action appears especially well designed to weather the Supreme Court’s effort to hamstring lower courts.

Laplante stayed his order for seven days to allow the government time to file an appeal.

Click here for more details.