In a major legal development today, a federal judge in New Hampshire has issued a decisive block on former President Donald Trump’s controversial executive order targeting birthright citizenship.

U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante ruled in favor of a legal challenge brought forward by the American Civil Liberties Union, certifying the case as a class action lawsuit and granting a preliminary injunction that halts the enforcement of the executive order.

The decision comes in the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the scope for nationwide injunctions but left the door open for broader relief through class action suits. Judge Laplante stated that without this injunction, the plaintiffs—who include pregnant immigrants, new parents, and their U.S.-born infants—would suffer irreparable harm.

Quote: “The harm to petitioners if this order is not granted outweighs the potential harm to respondents if it is,” said Judge Laplante, emphasizing that the ruling serves the public interest.

Cody Wofsy, Deputy Director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project and lead attorney on the case, called the ruling a major victory.
“This decision protects the constitutional guarantee of citizenship for every child born on U.S. soil,” Wofsy said. “We’re fighting to make sure no child’s rights are trampled by political overreach.”

The case represents a broader national debate on the scope of executive authority and the constitutional protections afforded under the 14th Amendment. With this ruling, the courts have once again reaffirmed the enduring principle that citizenship is not subject to political whim, but to the rule of law.

We will continue to follow this developing story.

Reporting by Katy Moore.