A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration's latest attempt to restrict birthright citizenship, dealing a significant legal setback to its immigration agenda.
U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman issued a preliminary injunction after immigrant rights advocates challenged the administration's revised restrictions, arguing that they violated the U.S. Constitution and the protections guaranteed under the 14th Amendment.
The legal dispute follows earlier challenges to President Donald Trump's efforts to alter citizenship rules through executive action. The 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to children born in the United States, regardless of their parents' immigration status.
Supreme Court Challenge and Revised Order
The latest restrictions came after the administration's earlier 2025 executive order faced legal challenges. President Trump subsequently signed a revised executive order on August 6, targeting birth tourism and seeking to deny citizenship to children born to certain foreign nationals, including foreign government workers, individuals accused of immigration fraud and those classified as alien enemies.
Lawyers representing children affected by the restrictions approached the court, arguing that the measures unlawfully interfered with their constitutional right to citizenship.
What the Latest Injunction Means
Judge Boardman's ruling now prevents federal agencies, including the State Department, Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration, from denying or obstructing the citizenship rights of the affected children while the legal challenge continues.
The decision marks the latest development in the continuing legal battle over birthright citizenship and the limits of presidential authority to change immigration and citizenship policy through executive action.