WASHINGTON, D.C. (WITN) – Attorneys general from 18 states sued Tuesday to block President Donald Trump’s move to end a decades-old immigration policy known as birthright citizenship guaranteeing that U.S.-born children are citizens regardless of their parents’ status.

Trump’s roughly 700-word executive order, issued late Monday, amounts to a fulfillment of something he’s talked about during the presidential campaign. But whether it succeeds is far from certain amid what is likely to be a lengthy legal battle over the president’s immigration policies.

North Carolina is one of the 18 states challenging the executive order. Attorney General Jeff Jackson is asking the court to invalidate the executive order and stop it from being implemented.

“This executive order is a straightforward violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to all people born on U.S. soil. For over a century, this principle has been upheld by the Supreme Court and remains a bedrock of our constitutional framework,” said Jackson.

Attorney General Jackson says the Constitution leaves no room for reinterpreting this matter.

“As Attorney General, my role is straightforward as well: to defend the Constitution. That’s why I’ve joined this lawsuit, to uphold the rule of law and preserve the rights that have defined our nation for generations,” said Jackson.

Here’s a closer look at birthright citizenship, Trump’s executive order and reaction to it:

What is birthright citizenship?

Birthright citizenship means anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. People, for instance, in the United States on a tourist or other visa or in the country illegally can become the parents of a citizen if their child is born here.

It’s been in place for decades and enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, supporters say. But Trump and allies dispute the reading of the amendment and say there need to be tougher standards on becoming a citizen.

What does Trump’s order say?

The order questions that the 14th Amendment extends citizenship automatically to anyone born in the United States.

The 14th Amendment was born in the aftermath of the Civil War and ratified in 1868. It says: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

Trump’s order excludes the following people from automatic citizenship: those whose mothers were not legally in the United States and whose fathers were not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents; people whose mothers were in the country legally but on a temporary basis and whose fathers were not citizens or legal permanent residents.

It goes on to bar federal agencies from recognizing the citizenship of people in those categories. It takes effect 30 days from Tuesday, on Feb. 19.

What is the history of the issue?

The 14th Amendment did not always guarantee birthright citizenship to all U.S.-born people. Congress did not authorize citizenship for all Native Americans born in the United States, for instance, until 1924.

In 1898 an important birthright citizenship case unfolded in the U.S. Supreme Court. The court held that Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a U.S. citizen because he was born in the country. After a trip abroad, he had faced denied reentry by the federal government on the grounds that he wasn’t a citizen under the Chinese Exclusion Act.

But some advocates of immigration restrictions have argued that while the case clearly applied to children born to parents who are both legal immigrants, it’s less clear whether it applies to children born to parents without legal status.

What has the reaction to Trump’s order been?

Eighteen states, plus the District of Columbia and San Francisco sued in federal court to block Trump’s order.

New Jersey Democratic Attorney General Matt Platkin said Tuesday that presidents might have broad authority but they are not kings.

“The president cannot, with a stroke of a pen, write the 14th Amendment out of existence, period,” he said.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, a U.S. citizen by birthright and the nation’s first Chinese American elected attorney general, said the lawsuit was personal for him.

“The 14th Amendment says what it means, and it means what it says —- if you are born on American soil, you are an American. Period. Full stop,” he said. “There is no legitimate legal debate on this question. But the fact that Trump is dead wrong will not prevent him from inflicting serious harm right now on American families like my own.”

Not long after Trump signed the order, immigrant rights groups filed suit to stop it.

Chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union in New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts along with other immigrant rights advocates filed a suit in New Hampshire federal court.

The suit asks the court to find the order to be unconstitutional. It highlights the case of a woman identified as “Carmen,” who is pregnant but is not a citizen. The lawsuit says she has lived in the United States for more than 15 years and has a pending visa application that could lead to permanent status. She has no other immigration status, and the father of her expected child has no immigration status either, the suit says.

“Stripping children of the ‘priceless treasure’ of citizenship is a grave injury,” the suit said. “It denies them the full membership in U.S. society to which they are entitled.”

In addition to North Carolina, New Jersey and the two cities, California, Massachusetts, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin joined the lawsuit to stop the order.

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Tropical Storm Helene destroyed nearly 1,000 homes when it tore through Western North Carolina Sept. 27, maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency show.

The maps, which show verified damage to homes as of Jan. 7, were presented to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners at its Jan. 16 budget retreat.

In Buncombe County, Helene destroyed 340 homes, according to the maps. More than 170 were owner-occupied, while the remaining were rental properties.

The maps also show how many homes across the state sustained major damage and how many require repairs so residents can move back in.

According to the maps, 2,360 homes suffered major damage. Nearly one-third were rentals. Additionally, nearly 30,000 homes require habitability repairs, according to the maps. More than 6,000 of those homes were occupied by renters.

The number of damaged homes verified by FEMA is significantly lower than initial estimates from the state. According to a Dec. 13 damage needs assessment compiled by the N.C. Office of State Budget and Management, more than 73,000 homes were projected to be damaged, the majority of which were expected to be single-family and manufactured homes, and duplexes. In total, the state is estimating nearly $13 billion in residential damage alone.

The Citizen Times requested updated damage maps from FEMA on Jan. 17.

How did homes in Buncombe, Henderson, McDowell, Madison and Yancey counties fare?

Destroyed homes:

Buncombe: 340

Henderson: 89

McDowell: 92

Yancey: 100

Madison:11+

Major damage:

Buncombe: 640

Henderson: 354

McDowell: 128

Yancey: 166

Madison: 56

Homes requiring habitability repairs:

Buncombe: 8,920

Henderson: 3,988

McDowell: 1,442

Yancey: 1,767

Madison: 302

More: Helene damaged more than 9K homes in Buncombe County; More than 300 were destroyed

More: After Helene, more than 100 Buncombe, Henderson property owners apply for buyout

Jacob Biba is the county watchdog reporter at the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jbiba@citizentimes.com.

Who was the North Carolina Boys Basketball Player of the Week last week?

Each week, High School On SI scours the state of North Carolina and compiles the top performances from the previous week.

Congratulations to last week’s winner: Jalin Sutton of Greene Central.

Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26. The winner will be announced in the following week’s poll. Here are this week’s nominees:

The 6-foot-5 junior guard scored 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting, grabbed 7 rebounds and blocked 4 shots in the Sabres’ 71-63 win over Myers Park. Houpt also had 15 points in a 65-56 win over White Oak.

Kerr, a top 100 national recruit, scored 24 points as the Cougars toppled nationally ranked and previously undefeated Christ School 73-66. The 6-foot-4 junior guard has 10 college offers.

Charles scored 27 points and got 8 rebounds in a 56-42 win over Southside. The 6-foot-4 senior also had 22 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists in an 84-38 rout of Pamlico County.

Blow scored 17 points and got 6 rebounds in a 67-59 victory over Ayden-Grifton. 

Barron scored 19 points while getting 7 steals and 5 assists in a 77-57 victory over Northwest Halifax.

Edwards posted 27 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists in an 89-39 romp over Wayne Christian. He also had 17 points in an 84-57 win over First Flight.

Brewer dominated with 34 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals in a 66-48 win over Pisgah.

Parkins erupted for 39 points, tying a career high, in a 90-66 win over Asheville. The 6-foot-7 senior also had 17 rebounds. He had 27 points and 13 rebounds in an 81-65 win over Erwin.

Brown scored 30 points and had 5 rebounds in an 84-80 overtime win over Tuscola. In addition, he had 21 points in a 59-45 loss to East Henderson.

Fannon scored 31 points, including 9-of-14 from 3-point range, as the Mustangs beat St. Stephens 93-70.