Just hours into his second term as president, Donald Trump shook the nation with a big announcement. He signed an executive order that aims to end birthright citizenship in the United States. This means babies born on U.S. soil to non-citizen parents—whether they’re in the country illegally or here temporarily—wouldn’t automatically become American citizens anymore. The announcement sparked immediate backlash, with lawsuits flying in to stop the order from taking effect.
The order directs key officials, including the secretaries of state, homeland security, and the attorney general, to stop recognizing citizenship for these children starting 30 days after the order was signed. Trump defended his decision, claiming, “We have to end it. We’re the only country that has it.” However, that’s not entirely true—countries like Canada and Mexico also grant citizenship based on being born within their borders, a principle known as jus soli, or “right of the soil.”
Groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) wasted no time in fighting back. They filed a lawsuit in a federal court in New Hampshire, arguing that Trump’s move violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The ACLU stated that the amendment was specifically designed to protect the citizenship rights of everyone born in the U.S., regardless of their parents’ status. They pointed to a Supreme Court case from over 125 years ago, U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark, which affirmed that children born on U.S. soil, even to non-citizens, are citizens.
“This order is unconstitutional and goes against everything America stands for,” said Anthony Romero, the executive director of the ACLU. “It creates a permanent underclass of people born in this country who are denied their basic rights as Americans. We’re confident we’ll win this fight.”
Massachusetts became a key battleground in the legal fight, with the state’s attorney general leading a coalition of 18 states to challenge the order. Their lawsuit argued that Trump’s executive action would cause immediate harm to families and individuals in their states. The complaint pointed out that children born after February 19, 2025, who would normally be considered U.S. citizens, could now face deportation and possibly even end up stateless.
Other states joining the fight include New York, California, New Jersey, Colorado, and Michigan, among others. In Massachusetts, an expectant mother with Temporary Protected Status also filed her own lawsuit. Her baby is due in March 2025, and she argued that Trump’s order would strip her child of citizenship, calling the move “an outrageous and illegal attempt to rewrite the Constitution.”
The controversy has drawn nationwide attention, with critics calling it a dangerous overreach of presidential power. They argue that birthright citizenship is a cornerstone of America’s values and history, and changing it would set a troubling precedent. For now, the battle heads to the courts, where the future of millions of American-born children hangs in the balance.
