18 states sue Trump over birthright citizenship order

18 states sue Trump over Executive Order threatening birthright citizenship rights for children of non-legal parents.

Attorneys-general from 18 states plan to sue President Trump over his recent executive order regarding birthright citizenship.

This order proposes that individuals born in the US will not automatically receive citizenship if their parents are not legal residents.

It also affects children born to mothers legally in the US on a temporary basis.

The order is scheduled to take effect on February 19, triggering considerable opposition from several states.

The lawsuit has been filed in federal court, with participants including the District of Columbia and San Francisco.

New Jersey’s attorney-general, Matt Platkin, stated that while presidential powers are significant, they cannot change constitutional provisions unilaterally.

He noted that the 14th Amendment’s provisions cannot be erased through an executive order.

Connecticut’s attorney-general, William Tong, described the order as “dead wrong,” underscoring the importance of his own birthright citizenship.

The lawsuit involves states such as California, Massachusetts, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin alongside New Jersey and the cities.

This legal action highlights ongoing tensions surrounding immigration policy and constitutional rights in the US.