BOSTON (AP) — A federal appeals court in Boston has delivered a major ruling stating that the Trump administration cannot withhold citizenship from children born to undocumented immigrants or those with temporary status. This decision adds to a series of legal challenges faced by the administration related to its birthright citizenship order.
The ruling from a three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld earlier court injunctions preventing the implementation of the controversial order, which sought to end automatic citizenship for babies born in the U.S. to parents living here illegally. The judges concluded that these children are entitled to birthright citizenship as guaranteed by the Citizenship Clause in the 14th Amendment.
The court's decision reflects on historical precedents and underscores the notion that citizenship should not be dictated by parental status but rather by the principle of being born on U.S. soil. The implications of this ruling are significant as it protects the citizenship rights of hundreds of thousands of American-born children.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta praised the ruling, stating, “We are glad that the courts have continued to protect Americans’ fundamental rights.” The administration's arguments claiming the citizenship status of children should depend on their parents' immigration status were dismissed by the courts, indicating a strong judicial commitment to maintaining established citizenship norms.
As the legal battles continue, with multiple states participating in lawsuits against the order, the Trump administration is expected to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court, potentially seeking a definitive ruling on the constitutionality of the restrictions on birthright citizenship.
