Judges Block Trump's Push to End Birthright Citizenship

A federal judge in New Hampshire has blocked President Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. The ruling follows similar decisions in Seattle and Maryland, with the ACLU arguing that the order contravenes constitutional rights under the 14th Amendment.

A federal judge in New Hampshire has joined two others in blocking President Trump's executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants. U.S. District Judge Joseph N Laplante's ruling aligns with similar decisions made in Seattle and Maryland last week.

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed lawsuits against the order, arguing that it violates the Constitution and seeks to overturn fundamental American values enshrined in the 14th Amendment. Meanwhile, the Trump administration maintains that children of noncitizens do not fall under U.S. jurisdiction and thus do not qualify for citizenship.

The administration is currently appealing the Seattle judge's block on the executive order. Central to these legal battles is the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, which established birthright citizenship following the Civil War. A landmark Supreme Court decision in 1898 supported this interpretation, excluding only specific exceptions like children of diplomats and Native American tribe members from automatic citizenship.