A U.S. federal appeals court has struck down a Trump-era executive order that sought to deny birthright citizenship to children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants, reaffirming the constitutional guarantee under the 14th Amendment.

In a decisive ruling issued on Tuesday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declared the 2019 order “unconstitutional and unenforceable,” stating that it violates the long-standing legal interpretation that anyone born on U.S. soil is entitled to citizenship, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.

The three-judge panel emphasized that birthright citizenship is “deeply embedded in American jurisprudence” and that no executive action could override constitutional protections.

The case was brought by civil rights groups and immigration advocates shortly after the former president, Donald Trump, issued the directive as part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigration. Critics had long argued the move was legally baseless and politically motivated.

“The Constitution is clear: All persons born in the United States are citizens, full stop,” said Omar Rivera, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which led the legal challenge. “Today’s ruling protects the rights of thousands of American children and upholds one of the most fundamental principles of our democracy.”

Former President Trump had argued that the 14th Amendment was being “abused” by undocumented immigrants seeking to secure legal status through childbirth, a claim widely disputed by constitutional scholars.

While the Biden administration did not defend the order in court, it also had not formally rescinded it, leaving the legal status in limbo until the court’s decision.

Legal analysts say the ruling effectively closes the door on any future executive attempts to reinterpret birthright citizenship without congressional or constitutional action.

The Trump camp has not yet commented on the ruling, though allies have previously indicated the issue could re-emerge if Trump regains the presidency.