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A federal judge has issued a new nationwide block on an order that sought to end birthright citizenship in the United States. U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante's ruling allows a class-action lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), to proceed. This lawsuit represents children born in the U.S. to undocumented parents, whose citizenship status would be at risk under the executive order.
The decision comes after the Supreme Court recently limited the power of lower courts to issue nationwide injunctions, while still permitting broad relief through class-action lawsuits. The ACLU's lawsuit was filed shortly after the Supreme Court's decision, which left class-action lawsuits as the primary method to challenge such executive actions. Judge Laplante's ruling effectively serves as a nationwide injunction, applying to babies born to undocumented parents across the country.
Judge Laplante, appointed by President George W. Bush, has stayed the ruling for seven days to allow the Trump administration to appeal. The executive order was set to take effect on July 27. The lawsuit argues that the executive order could leave children born in the U.S. to undocumented parents "effectively stateless," threatening their ability to achieve their full potential as Americans.