Trump dealt blow as appeals court rules on birthright citizenship

The First Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Trump administration's effort to end birthright citizenship through executive order, Politico legal affairs reporter Kyle Cheney reported.

President Donald Trump has endeavored to remove citizenship status for any child of undocumented immigrants born on U.S. soil. The right is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

A large number of attorneys general took the administration to court, leading to judges blocking the effort until it was resolved.

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The Trump administration attempted to have an appeals court remove that block, but the First Circuit Court of Appeals denied him on Tuesday.

"There is one hanging thread," the court said at the close of the 32-page ruling. "In challenging the scope of the District Court's preliminary injunction, the Government separately argues that it is overbroad to the extent that it 'prevents . . . the Executive Branch as a whole from beginning the process of formulating relevant policies and guidance for implementing the President's Order' because the Plaintiff-States cannot claim any injury from such 'internal operations.'

"But, as the District Court noted, the Government does not identify any such steps that it wishes to take but is enjoined from taking by the District Court's order. Nor do we read the plain terms of the District Court's order to enjoin 'internal operations' that are 'preparatory operations that cannot impose any harm' on the Plaintiff-States," the appeals court said.

New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin, who was among those who brought the case, sent Raw Story a comment on the matter.

“Every court to consider President Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship by Executive Order has found it is flagrantly unconstitutional, and every appellate court has rejected DOJ’s effort to put his Order back in place," said Platkin. "We are thrilled with the First Circuit’s decision, and we look forward to standing up for our birthright citizens no matter how far the Trump Administration takes this case.”

Read the full ruling here.