In a significant legal challenge to Donald Trump’s immigration policies, a federal judge in Seattle has temporarily blocked the former president’s executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship for children born to foreign nationals in the United States.
US District Judge John Coughenour issued a 14-day nationwide restraining order during a Thursday (23 January) hearing, describing the directive as “blatantly unconstitutional” and inconsistent with the Fourteenth Amendment’s citizenship clause, reports Politico.
Long-established Supreme Court precedents affirm that nearly all individuals born on US soil are entitled to American citizenship.
The ruling follows lawsuits brought by 22 states, with Arizona, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington leading the case before Judge Coughenour.
His verdict marks the first judicial decision in a series of legal battles against the executive order, which was slated to take effect on 19 February.
During the hearing, Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, expressed astonishment at the administration’s efforts to justify the order.
“The order boggles the mind,” he remarked, questioning how the Trump administration secured legal counsel for such a contentious directive.
The Justice Department, represented by Brett Shumate, acting head of the Civil Division, sought to delay immediate judicial intervention, arguing that the directive’s enforcement date allowed time for further deliberation.
Shumate described the order as an “integral” measure to address the nation’s immigration challenges, particularly along the southern border.
Despite the administration’s appeal plans, Judge Coughenour warned that implementing the directive would impose “irrecoverable costs” on states, particularly in providing healthcare and social services.
He also noted that plaintiffs had a strong chance of succeeding in their claims that the order contravened the Fourteenth Amendment and the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office, Trump criticised the judge’s decision, stating, “There’s no surprise with that judge,” and vowed to appeal.
The issue is likely to escalate to the Supreme Court in the coming weeks, as states seek a long-term injunction against the directive.
A Justice Department spokesperson stated that the administration would “vigorously defend” the order and present its arguments to the American people, who “desperately want to see immigration laws enforced.”
For now, the court’s block on the executive order provides temporary relief to those opposing the move, while setting the stage for a high-stakes legal battle over the future of birthright citizenship in the United States.
