ECNETNews, February 13, 2025: A federal judge in Massachusetts today delivered a significant preliminary injunction against an executive order from the Trump Administration aimed at revoking birthright U.S. citizenship for children of immigrant parents.
The ruling comes from U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin and follows a lawsuit initiated by advocacy groups in support of an expectant mother and immigrant rights. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the executive order.
Judge Sorokin asserted that the plaintiffs are likely to prevail in their suit, reaffirming that “the Constitution confers birthright citizenship broadly, including to persons within the categories described by the [Executive Order].” He highlighted that this ruling is grounded in established Supreme Court precedents recognized over the past century by all three branches of the federal government.
Legal scholars have consistently argued that the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship, a principle upheld by the Supreme Court for more than a hundred years. This ruling underscores the limitations of executive power over citizenship laws.
The decision was met with support from civil rights advocates, emphasizing that birthright citizenship is a foundational constitutional right that cannot be altered unilaterally by the President.
The case, challenging the executive order, illustrates a pivotal moment in the fight for immigrant rights and solidifies birthright citizenship as an essential element of U.S. democracy.
