A federal appeals court has refused to allow the Trump administration to reinstate an order restricting birthright citizenship in the U.S.

The Justice Department had asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to limit a lower court’s decision that blocked Trump’s executive order nationwide.

They wanted the ruling to apply only to the people who sued. However, a panel of three judges ruled against Trump’s administration, stating that it had not shown a strong chance of winning the case.

Trump’s order aimed to stop granting birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. if their parents did not have permanent legal status. This was part of a series of immigration policies he signed on his first day in office.

Several judges have since blocked the order, arguing that it goes against the Supreme Court’s long-standing interpretation of the 14th Amendment.

This is the first time an appeals court has ruled on Trump’s birthright citizenship order, which has faced lawsuits in 10 different cases. The Justice Department may now ask the Supreme Court to step in.

The panel of judges included William Canby (appointed by President Jimmy Carter), Milan Smith (appointed by President George W. Bush), and Danielle Forrest (appointed by Trump).

Judge Forrest wrote a separate opinion, stressing that the administration had not met the legal standard needed for emergency intervention.

She warned that courts should not rush to make major decisions, as it can lead to public distrust. She stated, “When we decide important and controversial issues quickly, people may start to see us as politicians rather than judges.”

The Trump administration had appealed after a district judge in Seattle blocked the order, saying it undermined the rule of law.

The lawsuits challenging the order were filed by four Democratic state attorneys general and several pregnant women who lacked permanent legal status.