by Admin
Jan 23, 2025
Things took an unexpected twist when a federal judge on Thursday blocked the Trump administration from enforcing an executive order issued by the Republican president to restrict automatic birthright citizenship in the United States, deeming the order blatantly unconstitutional.
Seattle-based U.S. District Judge John Coughenour issued a temporary restraining order blocking the enforcement of President Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship.
The decision came after four Democratic-led states—Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon—filed a legal challenge. President Trump signed the order on Monday, after his inauguration ceremony to mark his first official action since returning to office.
The United States District Judge John Coughenour, a Republican appointee of former President Ronald Reagan, delivered the first legal blow to President Trump’s hardline immigration policies, a key focus of his second term. In response to the ruling, Trump stated, “Obviously, we’ll appeal.”
President Trump’s executive order instructed U.S. agencies to deny citizenship recognition to children born in the United States if neither parent is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
“I find it difficult to comprehend how a member of the bar could assert with certainty that this order is constitutional,” the judge said to a U.S. Justice Department lawyer defending President Trump’s order. “It truly boggles my mind,” he added.
The states contended that President Trump’s order violated the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born in the United States.
“I have served on the bench for over four decades, and I cannot recall a case where the issue is as clear as this one. This order is blatantly unconstitutional,” Judge Coughenour said, referring to President Trump’s policy.
Following a brief hearing in a packed courtroom, with other judges observing, Coughenour issued a temporary restraining order blocking the enforcement of Trump’s policy nationwide for 14 days.
The judge will use this period to determine whether to impose a more permanent preliminary injunction.