Silver State Times

Attorney General Aaron D. Ford of Nevada, along with attorneys general from 14 states and the city attorney of San Francisco, issued a statement regarding a preliminary injunction against President Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship. The coalition challenged the order as unconstitutional.

"President Trump may believe that he is above the law, but today’s preliminary injunction sends a clear message: He is not a king, and he cannot rewrite the Constitution with the stroke of a pen," stated Attorney General Ford and his colleagues. They emphasized their commitment to defending constitutional rights and indicated that their legal battle would continue.

The executive order in question was signed by President Trump on January 20, 2025, aiming to end birthright citizenship. This action was deemed by the coalition to violate both the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Section 1401 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The group filed suit in Massachusetts seeking to block any implementation of this order.

Judge Leo Sorokin granted immediate relief by issuing a preliminary injunction. The coalition argued that ending birthright citizenship would strip basic rights from thousands of children born in America each year, affecting their ability to access federal services, obtain Social Security numbers, passports, and exercise voting rights.

The attorneys general also highlighted potential financial impacts on states due to changes required in administering benefits programs like Medicaid and foster care assistance. They argued these burdens should not be imposed while their case proceeds because they believe the executive order contradicts established laws and Supreme Court decisions.

The lawsuit includes participation from attorneys general representing California, Massachusetts, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin; as well as Washington D.C., San Francisco City and County.