SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — Several of President Donald Trump’s executive orders — including his efforts to end birthright citizenship, freeze federal grants, and cap funding for research, among others — are being challenged by attorneys general in states throughout the country. In some cases, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin has been leading the charge in blocking them.
“Each case is progressing at its own pace,” he said, “but generally, there are several injunctions in effect.”
Federal courts have blocked — at least temporarily — Trump’s orders on birthright citizenship, foreign aid and health care services for transgender youth. Platkin said the Trump administration has been complying with many of the court-ordered injunctions.
“These are not particularly close calls,” he said. “The president cannot with the stroke of a pen rewrite an amendment to the Constitution.”
For example, foreign aid and federal grants are authorized by Congress, not the president, as outlined in Article I of the U.S. Constitution. Birthright citizenship is enshrined in the 14th Amendment.
New Jersey is part of a major case filed last week along with 13 other attorneys general challenging the authority of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.
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U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan didn't issue the temporary restraint Platkin and others had sought, but she did express concern about Musk's apparent “unchecked authority" and said the Democratic attorneys general could still make a strong argument that Musk and DOGE violated the Constitution as the case progresses.
Trump does have solid approval ratings and is generally doing many of the things he promised to do. Platkin said that’s all well and good, but there is a process for making changes that must be respected.
“This isn’t about who you voted for or the outcome of an election,” he said. “I’ve said many times the president is entitled to put forth a policy agenda that he sees fit. By the way, he has majorities in Congress. He’s certainly entitled to work with them to change the law. What he is not entitled to do is disregard the law and to hurt our residents in the process.”
Platkin added that these cases are not taking away any attention or resources from his office in its prosecution of local cases.