Federal judge blocks Trump order redefining birthright citizenship: 'Blatantly unconstitutional'

A federal judge in Seattle has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's controversial executive order targeting birthright citizenship, dealing an early blow to the administration's aggressive immigration reforms.
U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, ruled that the order is "blatantly unconstitutional" during a hearing on a lawsuit filed by four states — Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon — challenging its legality, according to The Associated Press.
The ruling grants a temporary restraining order, halting the federal government from implementing the executive order while the court considers the case. Judge Coughenour's decision is seen as an early victory for immigrant rights advocates and could have lasting implications for the future of birthright citizenship in the U.S.
The executive order, titled "Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship" and signed by Trump shortly after his second inauguration, sought to redefine birthright citizenship by denying citizenship to children born on U.S. soil to parents who are in the country illegally or under temporary visas. The order instructs federal agencies to stop issuing official citizenship documents, such as passports, to these children — a move that directly challenges the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to all individuals born in the U.S.
In his ruling, Judge Coughenour sided with the four states, agreeing that the plaintiffs would likely prevail in their legal challenge. The order will remain in place while legal proceedings continue, he said, effectively freezing the executive action for now.
Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown, who initiated the lawsuit, welcomed the court's decision.
"This unconstitutional and un-American executive order will hopefully never take effect thanks to the actions states are taking on behalf of their residents," Ferguson said in a statement Thursday.
Ferguson added that birthright citizenship is a cornerstone of American law that cannot be revoked by executive fiat.
"Birthright citizenship makes clear that citizenship cannot be conditioned on one's race, ethnicity or where their parents came from," he added. "It's the law of our nation, recognized by generations of jurists, lawmakers, and presidents."
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, argues that President Trump's order violates the 14th Amendment.
The states involved in the lawsuit, alongside advocacy groups, assert that no law or constitutional provision allows the president to unilaterally strip birthright citizenship from children born in the U.S.
The temporary restraining order marks a significant setback for the Trump administration's efforts to restrict birthright citizenship, a goal the president has long advocated for.
However, Trump's executive order is part of a broader push to reform U.S. immigration laws, which has gained traction among conservative lawmakers.
Despite the ongoing legal challenges from the states, President Trump's stance on birthright citizenship has been supported by some in Congress.
Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Babin of Texas has reintroduced legislation limiting automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. only if at least one parent is a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or an immigrant serving in the U.S. military.
The Birthright Citizenship Act is designed to "restore the 14th Amendment to its original purpose" by ensuring that only children born to legally present parents receive birthright citizenship, Babin said in a statement Tuesday.
"America's citizenship laws should reflect fairness and respect for the rule of law," said Babin. "This common-sense legislation corrects decades of misuse and closes the loophole that incentivizes illegal immigration and exploits U.S. citizenship through birth tourism. Citizenship is one of our nation's most precious privileges. By introducing this legislation, we are taking an important step to restore integrity to our immigration system and prioritize the interests of American citizens."
The congressman cited data from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), which found one out of every 10 births in the United States is to an illegal immigrant mother. Another roughly 400,000 expectant mothers cross the border illegally each year intending to give birth in the U.S., Babin said.
"Once granted automatic citizenship, these children can initiate chain migration, opening pathways for extended family members to gain legal residency," he said. "This practice has also fueled a global birth tourism industry, which takes advantage of the current loophole in U.S. immigration laws."
Opponents of the legislation argue that altering birthright citizenship would undermine fundamental civil rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Critics warn that such moves would disproportionately affect immigrant communities and further divide the nation.