Casa, Inc. v. Trump (April 2025)

Public Rights Project filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to issue a nationwide injunction that would block President Donald Trump’s executive order denying birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. The brief was filed on behalf of a coalition of more than 150 local governments and local government officials across 107 jurisdictions in 24 states.

The brief was filed ahead of May 15, when the court will hear oral arguments on the government’s request to implement the executive order. 

The brief explains that a nationwide injunction serves the public interest. It details the distinct harm that local governments will face if birthright citizenship is eliminated, including administrative confusion and the need for local governments to invest in new systems to determine children’s citizenship in their cities and counties. 

We also argue that the executive order prevents children from accessing federally funded public benefits. Depriving community members of essential health and welfare services and educational programs will result in negative consequences, including spikes in poverty, disease, and crime. Local governments will be left to navigate these consequences within their communities.

In February 2025, Public Rights Project filed an amicus brief on behalf of more than 110 local governments and local government officials requesting a preliminary injunction. That order was granted. In April 2025, Public Rights Project filed another amicus brief, on behalf of a coalition of 130 local governments and local government officials, asking the U.S. Court of Appeals to uphold the district court’s preliminary injunction.

Update

On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal judges do not have the authority to block the federal government’s actions across the country unless necessary to provide complete relief to the parties. Because this decision significantly limits the use of nationwide injunctions, state and local governments will have less ability to push back against federal actions that harm their communities.