Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined the attorneys general of 21 other states, plus Washington D.C. and the city of San Francisco, to challenge President Donald Trump’s executive order attempting to limit birthright citizenship.
In a video released to social media Tuesday, Nessel said she and her department are joining cases against unconstitutional Trump orders.
“I filed these suits under the authority of my office, the Michigan Department of Attorney General, on behalf of the people of the state of Michigan, and as a constitutional officer of this state who is sworn to protect and defend the rights, liberties, and freedoms of Michigan residents,” Nessel said.
Nessel said Trump may have been duly elected, but that doesn’t grant him the power to do whatever he wants.
“While it’s true that a majority of Michigan voters selected Donald Trump to serve as our president, the whims of the majority cannot and should not be permitted to infringe upon the rights and liberties of the minority.”
Following his inauguration, President Trump issued an executive order fulfilling his campaign promise to end birthright citizenship, which is protected in the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Nessel’s office says the executive order, as written, does not go into effect for 30 days, and does not rescind citizenship from those already born in the United States. The states joining this action are seeking immediate relief so that the order cannot take effect until the litigation is resolved.