Federal judge blocks enforcement of Trump’s birthright citizenship order

New Hampshire Judge Joseph LaPlante on Thursday issued a preliminary injunction temporarily stopping the enforcement of President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship. The injunction came after LaPlante certified a class action lawsuit challenging the order, allowing those impacted by the order a legal pathway to fight it. Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order sought to end automatic citizenship for U.S.-born people, only extending it to those who have at least one parent with citizenship or lawful permanent residency.

The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, filed the class action last month with the proposed class of both the babies and parents who are subject to the order. LaPlante’s Thursday order from the bench limited the ACLU’s proposed class to only babies born to undocumented parents, and not the parents themselves. He also paused his order from taking effect for a week to allow time for expected appeals, according to the advocacy group.

Didn’t the Supreme Court rule the order couldn’t be blocked last month? The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order last month for a different lawsuit against Trump’s order that reigned in lower courts’ universal injunctions against it while still allowing its enforcement. SCOTUS approved part of the Trump administration’s request to scale back lower courts’ injunctions when they are broader than necessary. However, the nine-justice panel noted that individuals may individually sue the administration over the order, leaving the class action path open for those impacted by the order. The ACLU filed the class action lawsuit the same day the high court issued its ruling paring back national injunctions issued by lower courts.

Dig deeper: Read my previous report for more background on SCOTUS’ ruling on birthright citizenship.