US Judge Blocks Trump's Birthright Citizenship Ban: A Legal Battle Ensues

In a significant legal development, a federal judge in New Hampshire has blocked President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship in the United States. This decision, delivered on Thursday, comes as the first major test of the US Supreme Court's recent move to limit nationwide injunctions by lower federal courts.

Background and Context

President Trump has been pushing to terminate birthright citizenship in the US, a move that has been met with widespread controversy and legal challenges. The Supreme Court's recent decision to curb universal injunctions had raised the possibility that Trump's new policy could, at least temporarily, take effect in some parts of the country. This birthright citizenship fight took a new turn when US District Judge Joseph LaPlante decided to issue a preliminary injunction blocking Trump's executive order.

Key Developments

Judge LaPlante's ruling grants a nationwide class certification status to all infants impacted by the order and narrows down the scope of the class to infants, thereby removing parents from the case. The judge stated that the deprivation of citizenship, a right upheld by the 14th Amendment, and changes in longstanding policy would create irreparable harm.

This ruling is significant as it also makes use of an exception to overcome the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling that restricted the ability of judges to block policies nationwide. As such, it marks the first major challenge to the Supreme Court's new injunction guidelines.

Implications and Reactions

The injunction is expected to be appealed quickly by the Trump administration. As the Supreme Court has not yet weighed in on the birthright citizenship issue itself, the legal battle will likely continue.

The preliminary injunction is just not a..., said Judge LaPlante, indicating that further details on the ruling are forthcoming. Carrie Severino, president of the conservative legal advocacy group JCN, expressed uncertainty about how Trump’s policy would work logistically or to whom it would apply.

The White House has vowed to fight the judge's ruling, reigniting the legal standoff over President Trump’s efforts to deny citizenship to children born to undocumented parents.

Conclusion and Current Status

As it stands, the executive order banning birthright citizenship is blocked, and the case is now a class action, covering all families at risk nationwide. The judge's order also affects newborn children whose citizenship would be at risk if Trump's decree comes into effect. As the legal battle ensues, the fate of birthright citizenship in the US remains uncertain.