A federal judge in Boston has halted the Trump administration’s attempt to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented parents in the U.S. Leo Sorokin’s ruling joins previous court decisions against the order, emphasizing its unconstitutionality and threat to health insurance services tied to citizenship status. The case is likely to escalate to the Supreme Court.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin praised the ruling for upholding the longstanding principle of American-born babies’ citizenship. He criticized the administration’s failure to address the financial impacts on states and the lack of feasibility in narrowing the injunction.
Sorokin reaffirmed that the Executive Order violates the Constitution, hinting at ongoing legal battles. The White House has not appealed recent verdicts, keeping the citizenship denial on hold pending Supreme Court intervention.
In related cases, judges in New Hampshire and Maryland have restrained the order, with appeals courts upholding the unconstitutionality. Plaintiffs argue for birthright citizenship protection under the 14th Amendment, deeming the administration’s action unlawful and financially burdensome.
The controversy underscores debates on citizenship rights and the legacy of past legal decisions. The administration’s stance that noncitizen children fall outside U.S. jurisdiction has been met with judicial challenges.