Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Executive Order, Calls it “Blatantly Unconstitutional”

Seattle: A federal judge in Seattle has temporarily blocked former President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship in the United States, calling it a “blatantly unconstitutional” move. The ruling comes after a legal challenge by several Democratic-led states, including Washington, which argued that the order violates the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil.

Judge John Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, issued a temporary restraining order halting the policy for 14 days, allowing for further legal proceedings. In his ruling, Coughenour expressed shock at the Trump administration’s attempt to implement such a policy, stating, “Where were the lawyers” when this decision was made, calling it “boggling” that any legal professional would assert the order’s constitutionality.

The executive order, which Trump signed earlier, sought to deny birthright citizenship to the children of undocumented immigrants, claiming that the 14th Amendment’s “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” clause allows the exclusion of children born to parents without permanent legal status. However, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, representing the state in the lawsuit, contended that the policy would create a legal “cloud” over the citizenship of children born in the U.S., potentially causing substantial harm to them in the form of long-term negative impacts.

Lane Polozola, an attorney for Washington, argued that the policy would have far-reaching consequences, not only affecting the children’s citizenship status but also imposing financial and logistical burdens on state programs if these children were excluded from federal benefits. The lawsuit emphasized that such a policy could create confusion and harm, with babies being born into uncertainty while the legal proceedings unfold.

The Trump administration, however, maintains that the 14th Amendment’s language permits the president to exclude certain groups from automatic citizenship, a stance the Justice Department is defending. Brett Shumate, representing the administration, asked the court to allow more time for briefing on the matter, warning against making a “snap judgment.”

While the temporary restraining order is in place, the legal battle over Trump’s executive order is far from over. The ruling has already sparked a response from the White House, with Trump expressing intent to challenge the decision. Additional lawsuits have been filed by immigrant rights groups and Democratic attorneys general, ensuring this issue will remain at the forefront of legal and political debates in the coming months.