The White House issued a defiant response on Friday after a federal judge once again blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at restricting birthright citizenship—marking the third such ruling since a pivotal Supreme Court decision in June.
Why It Matters
Trump’s order seeks to deny automatic U.S. citizenship to children born on American soil if neither parent is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. The action directly challenges longstanding interpretations of the 14th Amendment.
In June, the Supreme Court ruled that lower courts could no longer impose nationwide injunctions—except in class-action lawsuits. Several such suits have since been filed, and Friday’s decision is the latest legal roadblock.
What Happened
U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled that the nationwide injunction he previously granted in a case brought by more than a dozen states will remain in place. Sorokin said there was “no workable, narrower alternative” that would provide meaningful relief.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Newsweek, “These courts are misreading both the intent and language of the 14th Amendment. We’re confident we will be vindicated on appeal.”
Justice Department attorneys had urged Sorokin to scale back the ruling’s scope, but the judge dismissed those arguments, writing that the administration failed to explain how a more limited order could be implemented without causing harm or violating other laws.
“The defendants’ position defies both law and logic,” Sorokin wrote in his ruling, adding that the administration “never addressed what renders a proposal feasible or workable.”
He also noted: “There is no doubt the Supreme Court will ultimately decide the constitutional question. But for the purposes of this case, the Executive Order is unconstitutional.”
Broader Legal Landscape
Sorokin is now the third judge to block or uphold a block on Trump’s executive order since the high court’s June decision.
- A federal appeals court earlier this week also declared the order unconstitutional, siding with a lower court’s block.
- In a separate case, a federal judge in New Hampshire imposed a nationwide halt on the order earlier this month. That ruling went into effect after the administration declined to appeal.
Reactions
In his 23-page decision, Sorokin emphasized that his ruling was based on a thorough review of both legal precedent and factual evidence submitted by the plaintiffs.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, who led the lawsuit, welcomed the decision: “American-born babies are Americans—just as they always have been. The President cannot rewrite the Constitution by executive order.”
What’s Next
The case is widely expected to return to the Supreme Court, which holds a 6-3 conservative majority and has delivered over a dozen favorable rulings for President Trump this year. Whether it will ultimately uphold or strike down the citizenship order remains to be seen.
