A federal judge has blocked the executive order ending birthright citizenship, signed by President Donald Trump on Thursday, and granted class-action status to the plaintiffs in the case, according to a news bulletin from the American Civil Liberties Union.
For the time being, this means children born in the United States to foreign nationals will be able to keep citizenship as the case is appealed.
George W. Bush-appointee Judge Joseph LaPlante of the New Hampshire District described his decision as “not a close call,” and said he would stay the ruling for seven days to allow the administration to appeal.
The decision comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that judges couldn’t issue nationwide injunctions against the president, while allowing those in class-action lawsuits.
The ALCU sued the Trump Administration on the first day they were in office after the president signed an executive order stripping some children born in the U.S. of the citizenship guaranteed by the Constitution.
The case was filed on behalf of a pregnant woman, two parents and their infants by the American Civil Liberties Union and others.
The plaintiffs’ lead attorney Cody Wofsy of the ACLU argued for the status Thursday morning, saying that the plaintiffs would suffer irreparable harm if denied birthright citizenship.
“This is going to protect every single child around the country from this lawless, unconstitutional and cruel executive order,” Wofsy said at a press conference after the hearing.
During the court hearing, Laplante said depriving a person of the enduring right of birthright citizenship was “irreparable harm.” He called it “the greatest privilege that exists in the world.”
— From press releases and wire reports.
