WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled that President Donald Trump’s order aimed at ending birthright citizenship is unconstitutional, thereby confirming the lower court’s decision blocking its nationwide enforcement.
The decision by a divided panel of the Ninth Circuit comes after Trump’s initiative was also blocked by a federal judge in New Hampshire, and the matter is now one step closer to potentially returning to the Supreme Court.
The appeals court bars the Trump administration from enforcing the order that would deny citizenship to children born to individuals who are temporarily or unlawfully in the United States.
“The district court correctly concluded that the proposed interpretation of the Executive Order, which would deny citizenship to many people born in the United States, is unconstitutional. We fully agree,” wrote the majority.
