Chicago – January 23, 2024
A federal judge in Seattle has temporarily stopped President Donald Trump’s executive order banning birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional.”
U.S. District Judge John Coughenour, appointed by President Ronald Reagan, issued the 14-day restraining order on Thursday.
The decision came after four states—Arizona, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington—sued to block the order. The judge said the action “boggles the mind” and is one of the clearest constitutional violations he has seen in over 40 years.
The temporary block applies to the entire United States and delays the implementation of Trump’s order, which was set to begin on February 19. The executive order seeks to change how the 14th Amendment is applied, claiming that children born to illegal immigrants or temporary visa holders are not entitled to U.S. citizenship.
The move has sparked lawsuits from 22 states and immigrant rights groups, who argue the order is both unconstitutional and unprecedented. Birthright citizenship is currently granted in about 30 countries, including the U.S.
The 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States,” but Trump’s administration aims to exclude certain groups. Critics say the ban could impact hundreds of thousands of children born in the U.S. each year.
