Judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order after Supreme Court ruling

A federal judge on Thursday said he will block President Trump’s executive order limiting birthright citizenship for a class of every child it affects. 

U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, agreed to allow the plaintiffs to proceed as a class that includes any babies whose citizenship status would be at risk if Trump’s order went into effect, saying at a hearing that a written order will follow.  

Laplante's decision comes after the Supreme Court curtailed judges’ ability to issue nationwide injunctions against Trump’s policies but left open a door for challengers to try to seek broad relief by filing class action lawsuits. 

Laplante’s ruling has the same practical effect as a nationwide injunction, as it applies to babies anywhere in the country. The class does not include parents, as sought by the plaintiffs. 

He said he would stay the ruling for seven days so that the Trump administration can appeal. 

The lawsuit, brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and others, was filed hours after the justices last month ruled 6-3 along ideological lines that nationwide injunctions likely exceed federal courts’ powers, cutting back a tool judges have used to block Trump’s far-reaching second term agenda.

The executive order is set to go into effect on July 27 under the high court’s decision. 

The Associated Press contributed. 

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