DEFENDING
THE 14TH
DDF's Fight to protect birthright citizenship
January 2025 - present
For nearly 160 years, the Constitution has guaranteed citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil — full stop. But on Jan. 20, 2025, the Trump administration launched an unprecedented assault on that right, issuing an executive order that targeted the core promise of the 14th Amendment. What followed was a legal firestorm.
This timeline traces Democracy Defenders Fund’s role in the fight to protect the rights of babies born in the United States and halt an unconstitutional executive order through emergency court filings, a U.S. Supreme Court showdown, and a historic class-action lawsuit. The battle is still unfolding.
When future generations look back on this moment, we want this to be the takeaway: birthright citizenship stood strong, protected by the Constitution and successfully defended in the courts.
DDF ACTION EVENT
TIMELINE
JANUARY 20, 2025
President Trump issues Executive Order (EO)14160, blocking birthright citizenship in some cases.
January 2025
January 20
Democracy Defenders Fund and its partners file a lawsuit in NH to stop Trump’s EO blocking birthright citizenship (New Hampshire Indonesian Community Support v. Trump).
January 21
Several other organizations file additional lawsuits, including CASA v. Trump and two separate lawsuits brought by 22 states, challenging Trump's EO.
January 23
U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour in Washington issues a temporary restraining order, putting the EO on hold nationwide for two weeks while legal proceedings continue.
February 2025
FEBrUARY 5
U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman in Maryland issues a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of the EO.
FEBrUARY 6
U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour in Washington issues a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of the EO.
FEBrUARY 11
U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante in New Hampshire grants preliminary injunction, barring the EO from being enforced against the plaintiffs in New Hampshire Indonesian Community Support v. Trump.
MARCH 2025
March 13
The Trump administration asks the Supreme Court to restrict injunctions to named plaintiffs, instead of applying them nationwide, so agencies can move forward with planning to implement the EO.
FEBrUARY 13
U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin in Massachussets issues a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of the EO.
MAY 2025
MAY 15
The Supreme Court hears oral arguments on three birthright citizenship cases, including CASA v. Trump.
JUNE 2025
JUNE 27
The Supreme Court rules in the birthright citizenship cases to limit federal district courts’ ability to issue universal, nationwide injunctions. This blocks district court rulings from taking effect across the country.
Democracy Defenders Fund, alongside the ACLU, Legal Defense Fund, and Asian Law Caucus, file a class-action lawsuit (Barbara v. Trump) on behalf of a proposed class of babies subject to the EO and their parents. Although the Supreme Court limited universal injunctions, filing a class-action lawsuit allows the courts to create a similar outcome by issuing an injunction that applies to everyone in that class across the country. The plaintiffs in Trump v. CASA also file an amended complaint seeking a class-based injunction.
JUly 2025
JUly 10
Motion for DDF’s preliminary injunction is heard in front of District Judge Joseph Laplante. He certifies babies who would be affected by the EO as a nationwide class and issues an injunction preventing the order from being enforced against any baby born after February 20 across the country until a final decision on birthright citizenship.
AUGUST 2025
AUGUST 1
The Court of Appeals for the First Circuit hears the government's appeal of the preliminary injunction issued in New Hampshire Indonesian Community Support v. Trump.
October 2025
OCTOBER 3
First Circuit Court of Appeals upholds a preliminary injunction blocking President Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship in New Hampshire Indonesian Community Support v. Trump.