A Maryland federal judge delivered a major blow to President Donald Trump’s efforts to end birthright citizenship, issuing a nationwide injunction on Wednesday that blocks enforcement of his controversial executive order.

The order, which Trump signed on Inauguration Day, was challenged shortly after it was announced. A temporary restraining order had already stalled its implementation in January, but the latest decision by U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman takes it a step further, ensuring the order remains blocked until the case is resolved.

The Battle Over Citizenship

In a courtroom decision that could reshape the nation's understanding of birthright citizenship, Judge Boardman sided with immigrant rights groups and three pregnant women who argued their children would lose U.S. citizenship under Trump’s plan. The executive order, which targeted children born after February 19, had sparked national controversy, as it sought to strip citizenship from those born on U.S. soil to noncitizen parents.

Judge Boardman explained that the plaintiffs had “easily” demonstrated the need for a preliminary injunction. Her ruling is based on what she described as a clear likelihood that the executive order would be deemed unconstitutional.

“The U.S. Supreme Court has firmly rejected the president’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment’s citizenship clause,” Judge Boardman declared, referencing multiple rulings that have upheld birthright citizenship. “No court in the nation has ever endorsed this interpretation, and I will not be the first.”

Nationwide Impact

The judge’s ruling extends beyond the Maryland case, as she emphasized the “nationwide concern” over the issue of citizenship. She stated that the legal tradition of granting U.S. citizenship to virtually every baby born on U.S. soil will remain in place for now.

“Today, every baby born on U.S. soil is a U.S. citizen, and that is the law and tradition of our country,” Boardman said. She noted that blocking the executive order “will not harm the government,” but rather, it will protect the integrity of the system by preventing an unconstitutional action.

The Government's Next Move

The Department of Justice, which had urged the judge to limit the injunction to the plaintiffs in the case, has not yet indicated whether it will appeal. A hearing in Seattle scheduled for Thursday could further shape the legal landscape surrounding this highly contested issue.

Legal Teams Respond

The plaintiffs, represented by a range of advocacy groups, including CASA and the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, celebrated the decision as a victory for immigrant rights. The legal team has vowed to continue fighting for the rights of U.S.-born children, asserting that the executive order would harm families across the country.