A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from enforcing an executive order ending birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants or mothers on tourist and student visas.
News360 Info reports that Judge John C. Coughenour of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington issued the ruling on Thursday, describing the order as “blatantly unconstitutional.”
The decision follows lawsuits filed by four states, Washington, Illinois, Oregon, and Arizona, arguing that the executive order contradicts the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and would have far-reaching consequences for state funding and public benefits.
The plaintiffs argued that the executive order would leave an estimated 150,000 babies born in the U.S. each year without citizenship or access to benefits, potentially causing states to lose significant federal funding.
“The president cannot unilaterally rewrite the Constitution to fit his political agenda,” attorneys for the four states said.
They referenced a 1995 testimony from former Assistant Attorney General Walter Dellinger, asserting that any amendment to alter the 14th Amendment’s wording would contradict the nation’s constitutional history.
The judge’s temporary restraining order halts the implementation of the executive order, pending further legal review.
In addition to the four states involved in this ruling, 18 others have filed lawsuits challenging the executive order. These cases are currently under review in Massachusetts.
A series of controversial executive orders have marked President Trump’s presidency since he took office. The birthright citizenship ban is just one of several sweeping measures he has introduced.
Other policies include restricting rights for individuals of different sexual orientations. Trump declared that the federal government will only recognize two genders, “male and female.” Additionally, the president ended remote work for federal employees and mandated a full return to in-office operations.
