Photo: California Attorney General Rob Bonta
A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday to stop President Trump’s executive order that seeks to eliminate birthright citizenship, reports CBS News.
Trump invoked presidential powers to begin his long-promised immigration crackdown shortly after taking office on Monday. His executive actions included an order directing the federal government to stop issuing passports, citizenship certificates and other documents to many children born in the U.S. whose mothers are in the country illegally, or for whom neither parent is a legal permanent resident.
The lawsuit by the 18 states, including California, filed in federal court in Massachusetts, claims Trump’s initiative violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which the federal government has long interpreted to mean that those born on American soil are citizens at birth.
“The President’s executive order attempting to rescind birthright citizenship is blatantly unconstitutional and quite frankly, un-American,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. “We are asking a court to immediately block this order from taking effect and ensure that the rights of American-born children impacted by this order remain in effect while litigation proceeds. The President has overstepped his authority by a mile with this order, and we will hold him accountable.”
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