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The nationwide injunction, from a Maryland case, is more permanent than last month’s restraining order from a judge in Seattle.
- Feb. 5, 2025Updated 3:22 p.m. ET
A U.S. District Court judge in Maryland issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday that indefinitely blocked President Trump’s attempt to unilaterally eliminate automatic U.S. citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants on U.S. soil.
The nationwide injunction, issued by Judge Deborah L. Boardman, who was nominated by President Biden, is more permanent than the 14-day temporary restraining order issued on Jan. 23 by a federal judge in Seattle, in a different case concerning the same Trump administration executive order. In most instances, a preliminary injunction remains in force until a case is resolved or a higher court overturns it.
“The executive order conflicts with the plain language of the 14th Amendment, contradicts 125-year-old binding Supreme Court precedent and runs counter to our nation’s 250-year history of citizenship by birth,” Judge Boardman ruled. “The United States Supreme Court has resoundingly rejected the president’s interpretation of the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment. In fact, no court in the country has ever endorsed the president’s interpretation. This court will not be the first.”
The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment on the Maryland injunction. However, the White House did.
“President Trump was given a resounding mandate to end the disregard and abuse of our immigration laws and to secure our borders,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said. “The Trump administration will continue to put Americans and America first.”
Mr. Trump said last month that the administration would appeal the Seattle ruling as well.
The case was brought by two nonprofit organizations that work with immigrants and refugees — the Maryland-based CASA and the New York-based Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project — as well as five pregnant women who are living in the country either unlawfully or on temporary visas.
