A federal appeals court refused to lift a block on Trump’s executive order limiting birthright citizenship, setting up a landmark Supreme Court fight

A US appeals court has refused to lift a legal block on Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship for children of certain immigrants, setting the stage for a Supreme Court showdown. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Justice Department’s emergency request to implement the order, ruling that the administration had not demonstrated a likelihood of success.

The order, signed by Trump in January, seeks to end automatic citizenship for children born to undocumented migrants and those on temporary visas. Opponents argue it violates the Fourteenth Amendment, which has guaranteed birthright citizenship since 1868. The lawsuit was filed by four Democratic attorneys general, who insist the president lacks the authority to override constitutional protections.

The court’s three-judge panel, which included a Trump appointee, ruled that a full legal review will proceed, with hearings set for June. In a concurring opinion, Judge Danielle Forrest stated that the administration had not provided sufficient justification for emergency intervention, dismissing its claims of an immediate crisis.

The ruling marks the first appellate-level decision on Trump’s controversial immigration policy, which his administration frames as crucial to securing the US border. With the Supreme Court likely to weigh in, the legal battle over birthright citizenship is set to become a defining case in Trump’s second term.