Michigan AG Nessel Joins Nationwide Lawsuit Fighting Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Ban

MICHIGAN, Jan. 22, 2025 ~ Dana Nessel has joined 17 attorney general from around the country in filing a lawsuit with hopes of blocking an executive order signed by President Donald Trump aimed at eliminating birthright citizenship in the U.S.

While Trump claimed the “correct interpretation” of Constitutional law is that U.S. citizenship is not granted to everyone born on U.S. soil, the suit said the principle of birthright citizenship has been enshrined in the Constitution for more than 150 years. The 14th Amendment states “Expressly confers citizenship on ‘all persons born’ in and ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of the United States.” The order prohibits federal agencies from recognizing the citizenship of people in those groups starting Feb. 19.

In a statement, Nessel says without citizenship, people won’t be eligible for federal benefit programs, lose their ability to obtain a Social Security number and, when they get older. They also cannot vote, serve on juries, and run for certain offices.