DOJ Urges Court to Unblock Trump Birthright Citizenship Ban

The First Circuit pressed the Trump administration to square its executive order banning birthright citizenship with Supreme Court precedent and decades of contrary statutory interpretation.

“It’s an unusual idea that the executive branch then comes in and says, ‘You know, actually we’re thinking about’” interpreting birthright citizenship another way now, said Chief Judge David J. Barron during oral argument Friday.

The executive order denies automatic citizenship to US-born children of immigrants who entered the country illegally or have temporary legal status. The order has been blocked nationally by numerous district and federal appeals courts.

Friday’s arguments at the US Court ...