Federal Judges Rule Against Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order In Major Legal DefeatA divided federal appeals court ruled on Wednesday against President Trump's order on birthright citizenship. The decision blocked his attempt to stop citizenship for children born in the U.S. to non-citizens. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the move was unconstitutional. Democratic-led states including Washington and Illinois filed the lawsuit.

Two judges on the panel were appointed by former President Clinton. They fully agreed with the lower court's ruling. Judge Patrick Bumatay, who was appointed by Trump, disagreed in part. He said states had no standing to sue the Trump administration over the matter.

The court found the executive order denied citizenship rights to people born on U.S. soil. The ruling pointed to the 14th Amendment which guarantees birthright citizenship. The amendment states that anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen of the country. The court declared the order as unconstitutional in full.

Court Maintains Broad Block On Trump’s  Directive 

Judge Bumatay warned courts should not overreach their powers. He argued that judges must stay within legal limits. However, he did not challenge the constitutionality of the policy itself. He only questioned whether the states could sue.

Trump claimed birthright citizenship encourages abuse through “birth tourism.” He argued the 14th Amendment was for freed slaves and not for migrant families. His order aimed to restrict automatic citizenship to children with at least one citizen or legal parent.

The Seattle District Court had issued a nationwide block on Trump’s order. The appeals court upheld that block. Judges said anything less would not give full relief to the states. The ruling followed a recent Supreme Court warning against broad injunctions. But it still allowed them in specific cases like this.

“The district court correctly concluded that the Executive Order’s proposed interpretation, denying citizenship to many persons born in the United States, is Unconstitutional,” read the appeals court’s majority opinion. “We fully agree.”

Other courts in New Hampshire and Maryland also blocked the order. This adds to Trump’s series of legal setbacks. His effort to change birthright citizenship remains on hold.