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Immigration groups sue Trump over order to end US birthright citizenship
By Francesca Hangeior
United States President Donald Trump has been sued by immigration advocates following his move to end automatic citizenship for children born in the United States to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily in the country.
On Monday, Trump signed an executive order at the White House aimed at ending the longstanding policy of birthright citizenship.
The order, which is set to take effect in 30 days, challenges more than a century of US policy and court interpretations of the Constitution.
According to a Bloomberg report, immigration advocates swiftly filed a lawsuit in New Hampshire on Monday evening, shortly after the order was signed.
During a briefing on Monday, Trump reiterated his commitment to the controversial policy change.
“The federal government will not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States. We are also going to enhance vetting and screening of illegal aliens,” he said.
Ending birthright citizenship has been a cornerstone of Trump’s Agenda47 policy platform, with the campaign promising to clarify the Constitution’s 14th Amendment.
The campaign emphasised that citizenship should apply “only to those both born in AND ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of the United States.”
To defend the policy, the Justice Department will need to convince courts to adopt a narrower interpretation of the Constitution, which some conservative legal scholars advocate.
The legal challenge could potentially reshape the understanding of the 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868 to grant citizenship to formerly enslaved people. Its Section 1 states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
While the clause “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” typically excludes children of foreign diplomats, the Supreme Court has consistently affirmed birthright citizenship for children born on US soil, despite numerous challenges over the years, according to the American Immigration Council.
Among the executive orders President Donald Trump signed just hours after taking office as the 47th President of the United States of America, USA, was the one directing government agencies to stop issuing citizenship documentation for babies born in the US to parents without legal status.
Immigration advocacy groups have already gone to court. It is expected that more lawsuits will follow, given the controversial nature of the orders.
Meanwhile, there is need to understand the workings of the American citizenship by birth, and then what Trump’s executive order means.
Passed by Congress June 13, 1866, and ratified July 9, 1868, the 14th Amendment extended liberties and rights granted by the Bill of Rights to formerly enslaved people.
A major provision of the 14th Amendment was to grant citizenship to “All persons born or naturalized in the United States,” thereby granting citizenship to formerly enslaved people.
Note that it was adopted in 1868 after the Civil War to clarify the status of formerly enslaved people.
However, it has long been read as giving citizenship to nearly all babies born on US soil.
This has seen many Nigerians, who have the means, preferring to give birth to babies in the US, as it makes them citizens with full rights as Americans.
With Trump’s executive order, titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” taking effect from February 20, there is need to understand it workings.
A Federal high court in Kaduna State has rejected a bail request from Bashir Saidu, who served as chief of staff and Finance Commissioner under former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Police arrested Saidu on January 2nd, 2025, moving him to the Kaduna correctional centre. He faces 10 charges of money laundering, embezzlement, and stealing public funds from the Kaduna State Government.
According to Channels TV report, when Saidu appeared before Justice Isa Aliyu on Tuesday, he denied all charges. The prosecution claims Saidu sold $45 million of state funds at N410 per dollar instead of the market rate of N498, causing the government to lose N3.9 billion. They say this happened in 2022 while he managed Kaduna’s finances under El-Rufai. Prosecutors argue Saidu laundered this N3.9 billion difference, breaking Section 18 of the Money Laundering Act 2022.
Saidu’s lawyer, M I Abubakar, pressed for bail, noting his client had spent 21 days in custody. But prosecutor Professor Nasiru Aliyu fought back, saying the law gives prosecutors seven days to answer bail requests.
Justice Aliyu agreed with the prosecution, granting them time to respond. The court will hear the bail application on January 23rd, 2025.
Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar A. Namadi, has officially sworn in five newly appointed special advisers to strengthen his administration’s efforts in delivering good governance.
The appointees and their portfolios include Abdulkadir Bala Umar T.O., Special Adviser on Special Duties; Uzairu Nadabo, Special Adviser on Export Processing Zones (EPZ); and Ado Local, Special Adviser on Trade and Commerce.
Others are Musa Shu’aibu Guri, Special Adviser on Revenue, and Sa’idu Umar, Special Adviser on Nutrition.
The governor emphasised the importance of integrity, perseverance, and dedication to duty.
He urged the advisers to uphold the responsibilities entrusted to them with utmost sincerity, as their roles are critical to achieving the administration’s objectives.
The governor reminded them of the sacred oath they had taken, stressing that they would be held accountable both in this life and on the Day of Judgment.
He further advised them to use their previous experiences and qualifications to serve the state effectively and ensure the betterment of the people.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Tuesday inaugurated Xejet’s state-of-the-art Flight Support and Engineering Hub at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, valued at $10 million.
He said that while the government may not have all the money to give to the private sector, it would create an enabling environment and the right policies to support this type of growth and development.
Keyamo emphasized that the current administration would support the growth and development of local operators.
His words: “This is a huge achievement; the concept alone, getting the backing and bringing it to fruition like this, to start off work, with one of the best construction companies we have, is a dream come true. Let me say that we have also attracted similar projects to the part of the airport you’re seeing.”
“Xejet, we will be here with you throughout, from the beginning to the end. Our technical team will be here, the MD FAAN will put the engineering team together, to ensure that they support you; and you comply with all regulations. The DG NCAA too will do the same, to ensure that what we have here will be world-class.”
On his part, Xejet CEO, Emmanuel Iza, said that the facility represents the company’s pledge to elevate aviation services in Nigeria to global standards.
According to him, “Through cutting-edge technology, superior engineering, and unparalleled flight support, Xejet seeks to not only improve operational efficiencies but deliver an exclusive experience that sets us apart in the industry.”
Speaking of the cost implications, he said the project is in two phases.
“The first phase is to prepare the ground, to create the taxiway that is going to connect the runway to our facility and the apron. That’s roughly in excess of $5 million. And we are expecting to put the structure of equal amount on top of it there.”
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