WASHINGTON — A U.S. federal appeals court on Wednesday struck down former President Donald Trump’s controversial executive order seeking to limit birthright citizenship, declaring it unconstitutional and affirming a lower court’s decision to block it nationwide.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Seattle-based district court’s injunction, rejecting claims that the order — which sought to deny automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants or temporary visa holders — aligned with constitutional standards.
Judge Ronald Gould, writing for the appeals panel, stated that the district court “did not abuse its discretion in issuing a universal injunction” and emphasized that the ruling was necessary to ensure consistent legal protections across states.
“Limiting the injunction geographically would render it ineffective,” Gould noted, warning that varying state policies could create legal chaos for affected families moving across state lines.
Trump’s executive order had aimed to reinterpret the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees citizenship to all individuals born on American soil. The appeals court dismissed this reinterpretation, siding with previous judicial rulings that labelled the move unconstitutional.
“The Executive Order’s proposed interpretation, denying citizenship to many persons born in the United States, is unconstitutional. We fully agree with the district court’s conclusion,” the ruling read.
While the U.S. Supreme Court had previously declined to weigh in directly on the constitutionality of Trump’s birthright policy, it had criticized lower courts for issuing sweeping nationwide injunctions. Still, the top court did not overturn the injunction on birthright citizenship, leaving it intact amid ongoing legal challenges.
Earlier this month, a federal judge granted class-action status to all children who could be affected by the executive order, further strengthening legal efforts to halt its enforcement. A preliminary injunction remains in place as litigation continues.
The court’s decision marks a significant legal setback for Trump, whose immigration policies have faced repeated pushback in U.S. courts. Though the Supreme Court currently leans conservative with a 6–3 majority, it has thus far refrained from affirming the legality of Trump’s attempt to alter constitutional definitions of citizenship.
