President Trump has made good on a campaign promise that if reelected he would get off to a fast start – signing dozens of executive orders alone on Jan, 20, his first day in office. Meanwhile, the number of lawsuits contesting them is close behind.

As of Friday, Trump had signed a total of 43 executive orders, according to the Federal Register, while 24 opposing them were filed over roughly the same period, according to the litigation tracker by justsecurity.org. 

(One of the suits – opposing the Biden administration's creation of the Customs and Border Patrol's One app, to enable asylum seekers to schedule appointments to request asylum, was essentially paused when Trump by executive order directed his Department of Homeland Security to ceasing using the app.)

Among the remaining 23 suits are four challenging Trump's executive order establishing the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, while another takes aim at an order to punish sanctuary cities and states. 

There are also seven suits challenging the executive order on birthright citizenship. However, on Jan. 23, a federal district judge for the Western District of Washington, temporarily blocked the order, which limits the definition of birthright citizenship to children born to at least one parent who is a U S citizen.

The case was brought by four states – Arizona, Illinois, Oregon and Washington – and seeks to block the order before it is set to take effect in late February.

The executive order, Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship, if it withstands legal challenges, will forbid federal agencies from issuing or accepting any documents recognizing citizenship of children whose parents are not citizens born after February 19.  

Senior U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour blocked the policy from taking effect for 14 days. There will be a further briefing on a preliminary injunction to permanently block the executive order while the case proceeds, according to NBC News. 

"I’ve been on the bench for over four decades," said Coughenour, a Ronald Reagan appointee. "I can’t remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order."

The Trump administration's efforts to limit the definition of birthright citizenship are expected to face further litigation following the end of the block Friday, when a hearing is set to take place for another lawsuit filed by four states and three women who are pregnant with children who would be born without U S citizenship if the order goes into effect.  

Meanwhile, two judges have ordered a temporary pause on the administration's efforts to freeze federal funding.

On Tuesday, a judge in Washington state halted the plan before it was set to go into effect, but her short-term order is only in place until Monday unless she decides to extend it – in a lawsuit brought by the National Council on Nonprofits, the American Public Health Association, Main Street Alliance and SAGE. 

On Friday, a second federal judge, John McConnell for the U.S. District Court, District of Rhode Island, also ordered a temporary pause.

The judge sided with nearly two dozen states that requested an emergency order preventing most federal agencies from halting funding, according to the Associated Press. 

However, it remains unclear if and how the suits will go forward, considering the administration on Wednesday rescinded the order amid significant backlash.

The order for a temporary pause of all federal funding to programs including financial assistance for foreign aid, funding for nongovernmental organizations, and DEI programs. It was issued Tuesday in a memo from the Office of Management and Budget.

The pause was set to last through February 10 and required federal agencies time to submit reports on which programs violate executive orders implemented by the Trump administration.  Administration officials clarified that Medicare, Social Security, Food Stamps, and Student loans would not be among the programs affected. 

"Financial assistance should be dedicated to advancing administration priorities, focusing taxpayer dollars to advance a stronger and safer America, eliminating the financial burden of inflation for citizens, unleashing American energy and
manufacturing, ending “wokeness” and the weaponization of government, promoting efficiency in government, and Making America Healthy Again," the memo reads.