A federal judge in Seattle has temporarily halted Donald Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship in the United States, labelling the move “blatantly unconstitutional.”
US District Judge John Coughenour issued a restraining order after a 25-minute hearing, preventing the controversial executive order from taking effect. The 14th Amendment of the US Constitution, which grants citizenship to nearly anyone born on US soil, has long been interpreted as a cornerstone of American citizenship. Trump’s order aimed to exclude children born to parents in the country illegally or temporarily, sparking widespread legal challenges.
The states of Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon filed a lawsuit, arguing that the order would cause “immediate and irreparable harm” by stripping individuals of citizenship, leaving many stateless and vulnerable to deportation.
“This executive order boggles my mind,” said Judge Coughenour, emphasising that the Constitution does not grant the president the authority to override its provisions.
The order is now paused for 14 days as the court considers the legal challenge. The case may ultimately reach the US Supreme Court. Meanwhile, reports suggest the Trump administration planned to enforce the order by withholding vital documents, such as passports, from affected individuals.
The Department of Justice defended the order as a necessary step to address immigration concerns but faced pushback from legal experts and state representatives. William Tong, a US citizen by birthright, called the order “an attack on fundamental American values,” asserting that “there is no legitimate legal debate on this question.”
Adopted in 1868, the 14th Amendment has historically been interpreted to guarantee citizenship for anyone born within the US, with limited exceptions such as children of foreign diplomats. Altering this would require a constitutional amendment, a process that demands significant support in Congress and across the states.
This legal battle marks just one of several challenges to Trump’s unilateral actions on immigration, with additional lawsuits from 18 Democratic-led states, the District of Columbia, and advocacy groups like the ACLU. For now, the executive order remains in legal limbo, as the debate over birthright citizenship heads toward a potential Supreme Court showdown.
