Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order

A federal judge in Seattle has issued a 14-day restraining order halting the Trump administration’s executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants and foreign visitors, according to The Washington Post. The directive, signed by President Donald Trump earlier this week, was deemed “blatantly unconstitutional” by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour, who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan.

The ruling, which applies nationwide, came in response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of states, including Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon. The states argued that the executive order violates the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to all individuals born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.

During the hearing, Judge Coughenour expressed skepticism, describing the order as mind-boggling. He ruled from the bench, granting the restraining order and delaying the implementation of Trump’s directive, which was set to take effect in mid-February.

Washington Attorney General Nick Brown celebrated the decision, stating, “Today a judge granted our temporary restraining order nationwide, saying he had not seen an order this blatantly unconstitutional in 40 years on the bench. We’ll continue fighting for Washingtonians’ freedoms.”

Key Points of the Executive Order

The executive order sought to:

• Deny automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. to parents who are undocumented or on temporary visas, such as work, student, or tourist visas.
• Narrow the scope of birthright citizenship to exclude children unless one parent is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.

Legal Challenges and Implications

The lawsuit from the coalition of states argued that the order would harm thousands of newborns annually and impose burdensome administrative responsibilities on state governments. It also claimed that children stripped of their citizenship would face detention, deportation, and statelessness, creating a new underclass in the United States.

The Trump administration countered that the states lack legal standing to challenge the federal government and argued that the order falls within the broad discretion granted to the executive branch to manage immigration policy. However, opponents contend that the order’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment contradicts its clear language and long-standing precedent.

Broader Context

This case is one of several challenges to the executive order. A coalition of 18 states and Washington, D.C., has filed a similar lawsuit in Massachusetts, while civil rights groups have initiated separate legal actions. The issue of birthright citizenship remains a contentious and politically charged topic, with significant legal and societal implications.