Golden State Today

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, joined by attorneys general from several states and the City and County of San Francisco, announced a preliminary injunction against an executive order issued by President Trump. The order aimed to terminate birthright citizenship, which is protected under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The coalition filed a lawsuit on January 21, 2025, challenging the executive order in the District of Massachusetts. Judge Leo Sorokin granted their request for immediate relief to prevent the order from taking effect.

Attorney General Bonta stated, "President Trump may believe that he is above the law, but today’s preliminary injunction sends a clear message: He is not a king, and he cannot rewrite the Constitution with the stroke of a pen."

Bonta emphasized that this action was anticipated as part of Trump's campaign promises. "We immediately stood up for our Constitution, for the rule of law, and for American children across the country who would have been deprived of their constitutional rights – and today we delivered for them," he said.

The executive order was seen as violating both the Fourteenth Amendment and Section 1401 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. It threatened to strip citizenship from thousands born in California each year and could have affected federal funding for state-administered programs like Medicaid.

Bonta's statement continued: "This is not yet over, and we will continue to fight every single step of the way until President Trump is permanently prevented from trampling on the Fourteenth Amendment rights of all Americans."

Birthright citizenship has historical roots dating back centuries in America. The Supreme Court has upheld it regardless of parents' immigration status. If enforced, Trump's order would remove basic rights from affected children, including voting rights and access to federal services.

The states argued that they should not bear costs associated with implementing such changes while litigation continues because it contradicts constitutional protections.