A federal judge in Maryland has blocked President Donald Trump’s recent executive order aimed at banning “birth tourism,” which sought to prevent children born in the U.S. to noncitizen parents from automatically receiving citizenship. U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman, appointed by President Biden, issued a preliminary injunction against the order, noting that the Supreme Court had already ruled that these children are “citizens at birth.”
Boardman emphasized that the high court’s June decision must be followed, rejecting the administration’s argument that their order complied with “narrow exceptions” outlined by the Supreme Court. The injunction specifically relates to children born after February 19, 2025, while not affecting those born before that date.
The plaintiffs contest the crackdown on birth tourism based on the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause, which guarantees birthright citizenship. In response to the ruling, Attorney General Todd Blanche expressed disagreement and indicated a willingness to take the matter back to the Supreme Court if necessary, asserting that the executive order was crafted in line with the Supreme Court’s previous ruling.
