A federal court has temporarily stopped the enforcement of former President Trump’s executive order aimed at limiting birthright citizenship in the United States. This follows a nationwide lawsuit filed on June 27, just after a Supreme Court decision that had raised concerns about parts of the order being allowed.

The lawsuit was brought forward by several civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Legal Defense Fund, and others, to protect babies and families who would have been affected by the order. Their goal is to ensure that all children born on U.S. soil are recognized as citizens, no matter their parents’ background.

On Thursday, the court sided with the groups, approving a preliminary injunction and certifying the case as a class action. This means the ruling now applies to all families across the country, not just a few individuals.

Although the government has been given seven days to appeal the decision in a higher court, the ruling is expected to take full effect before July 27, the date the executive order was set to be partially enforced.

“This is a major win,” said Cody Wofsy from the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, who argued the case in court. “It protects the citizenship rights of children born in the U.S., just as the Constitution intended.”

Devon Chaffee of the ACLU of New Hampshire added, “This order goes against everything the Constitution stands for. The court's decision reinforces the fact that politicians cannot pick and choose who qualifies for citizenship.”

Other leaders from organizations involved in the case echoed the sentiment, calling it a strong defense of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born in the U.S.

Morenike Fajana from the Legal Defense Fund said the decision "sends a clear message that birthright citizenship is not up for debate.” Aarti Kohli of the Asian Law Caucus pointed out that many immigrant families have been living in fear and confusion since the Supreme Court's recent decision.

“This ruling gives relief and clarity to families across the nation,” said Tianna Mays from Democracy Defenders Fund. “But the fight isn’t over, we’ll keep working to protect every child’s right to citizenship.”

Molly Curren Rowles of ACLU of Maine concluded, “The U.S. has always been a country built by immigrants. We’re proud to help lead this effort at such a crucial time.”