The policy represents a dramatic reinterpretation of the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.”
States’ Legal Challenge
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who led the lawsuit, argued that the executive order directly contradicts established constitutional law and would cause immediate harm to families in the plaintiff states.
“This executive order is an affront to the Constitution and the principles of equal rights enshrined in it,” Ferguson said in a statement. “The 14th Amendment is not up for reinterpretation based on political whims.”
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that the states would continue to fight for the rights of all children born in the United States.
What’s Next
The temporary restraining order blocks the enforcement of Trump’s order while the case proceeds. Legal experts anticipate a prolonged battle over the executive order, with its ultimate fate likely to be decided by higher courts, potentially the U.S. Supreme Court.
