Federal Appeals Court Blocks Trump's Birthright Citizenship Order

A federal appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump's executive order restricting birthright citizenship is unconstitutional, affirming a lower court's decision to block its enforcement nationwide. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that the order contradicts the 14th Amendment's provision granting citizenship to all persons born in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction.

The executive order, signed on January 20, 2025, sought to deny automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. if their parents were in the country illegally or on temporary visas. This policy faced immediate legal challenges, leading to multiple injunctions from federal courts across the country.

In its decision, the 9th Circuit emphasized that the executive order is "invalid because it contradicts the plain language of the Fourteenth Amendment's grant of citizenship to 'all persons born in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.'"

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson responded, stating, "The Ninth Circuit misinterpreted the purpose and the text of the 14th Amendment. We look forward to being vindicated on appeal."

This ruling adds to a series of legal setbacks for the administration's efforts to alter birthright citizenship policies. The matter is expected to progress to the Supreme Court for a definitive ruling on the constitutionality of the executive order.