Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has joined over 20 other states and San Francisco in two lawsuits challenging President Donald Trump’s recent executive order aiming to restrict birthright citizenship. The order, signed on Jan. 20, 2025, excludes automatic citizenship for individuals born in the U.S. if their parents are not U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or are in the country temporarily.
Ellison called the order an “unprecedented, blatant breach of the Constitution,” citing the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. He emphasized that the Supreme Court has upheld this interpretation for over 125 years, asserting the order violates federal law.
The lawsuits argue that the Supreme Court has twice affirmed birthright citizenship, regardless of parental immigration status. The executive order directs federal agencies to stop recognizing citizenship for those affected and is set to take effect on Feb. 19.
States joining the suit include California, Michigan, New York, and others, alongside a separate but identical lawsuit filed by Arizona, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington. The plaintiffs aim to block what they describe as an unconstitutional order.
