A federal judge delivered a significant blow to President Donald Trump’s efforts to limit birthright citizenship, ruling on Wednesday to block a controversial executive order that sought to restrict this long-standing right.
The ruling, which came just weeks before the policy was set to take effect on February 19, halts the enforcement of an executive action that has sparked widespread debate and criticism.
District Judge Deborah Boardman, during a hearing in Maryland, emphasized that denying birthright citizenship would cause “irreparable harm.” She pointed out that the U.S. Supreme Court’s precedent firmly supports birthright citizenship, and the executive order directly conflicts with the clear language of the 14th Amendment. “No court in the country has ever endorsed the president’s interpretation,” she stated. “This court will not be the first.”
This decision follows a similar injunction issued in January by U.S. District Judge John Coughenour in Washington state, who also condemned the order as “blatantly unconstitutional.”
Trump had immediately signaled plans to appeal that ruling, and this latest decision only strengthens the legal opposition to his efforts.
The executive order, if implemented, would have excluded certain individuals—such as those in the U.S. illegally or on temporary visas—from the protections afforded by birthright citizenship.
However, critics argue that the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, has been settled law for more than a century, particularly following the 1898 U.S. Supreme Court case involving Wong Kim Ark. In that ruling, the court affirmed that all children born on U.S. soil, including those of immigrant parents, are entitled to citizenship.
Trump’s attempt to redefine birthright citizenship has been met with fierce opposition, as many argue that it undermines a cornerstone of American identity.
