A mother of three, “Barbara”, has been living in New Hampshire since 2024.
WASHINGTON โ Donald Trump became the first sitting United States president to attend oral arguments in the Supreme Courtย as the court debates birthright citizenship in Trump v. Barbara.ย
Who is “Barbara”?
The short answer is we don’t know exactly who she is, as the pseudonym was invented to protect the plaintiff’s identity. And Barbara is probably not her real name.ย
Fleeing the Mara 18 gang in the Central American country of Honduras alongside her husband and three children, “Barbara” has been living in New Hampshire since 2024 while seeking asylum.ย
In February 2025, Barbara learned that she was pregnant. In her testimony, Barbara said this was around the time Trump had signed an executive order that claimed the 14th Amendment did not protect children of non-citizens born in the United States.ย
The executive order, signed just after Trump’s second inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, argued that citizenship should not be automatically granted to anyone whose mother or father “was unlawfully present in the United States” at the time of their birth. The order challenged longstanding interpretations of the 14th Amendment and was subsequently blocked by lower courts.ย
The American Civil Liberties Union represented the anonymous mother as she gave her anonymous declaration to the U.S. District Court in New Hampshire last year.ย
“I am fearful for my child’s future in light of this executive order,” Barbara says in a court declaration. “I want my baby to have access to opportunities, such as access to education and permission to work legally, in order to make a life for themselves. I also want my child to be safe.”ย
Barbara said she chose to remain anonymous because she was worried about the Trump administration or its supporters seeking revenge on her family for speaking out. In addition to Barbara, other anonymous petitionersย were “Sarah,” the daughter of a Taiwanese citizen, “Susan,” living in Utah and “Matthew,” the son of a Brazilian citizen referred to as “Mark,” who both live in Florida.
“I am scared about my identity and participation in this lawsuit being made public, because I fear for my and my family’s safety,” Barbara declared. “I fear that certain individuals would retaliate against us because of my participation in this lawsuit. I have heard about the current administration or supporters retaliating against people who sue or speak out against the administration.”
A U.S. district court judge ruled in favor of Barbara and the ACLU, issuing an injunction that blocked the Trump administration’s order from being enforced.ย
The due date for Barbara’s child was Oct. 5, 2025, according to Supreme Court documents.ย
