LOS ANGELES, United States—A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order on former President Donald Trump’s controversial executive order seeking to redefine birthright citizenship in the United States.
The ruling, handed down in Washington state, halts the enforcement of the order for 14 days, providing time for further judicial review. The decision comes amidst a wave of lawsuits filed by 22 states, multiple cities, and civil rights organizations, all challenging the constitutionality of the directive.
Senior US District Judge John Coughenour, who presided over the case, described the executive order as a “clear-cut constitutional violation.” Appointed by Republican President Ronald Reagan, Judge Coughenour emphasized the unprecedented nature of the legal questions at hand. “This court has rarely encountered a case where the constitutional issues were as unmistakable as they are here,” he said during Thursday’s hearing.
At the heart of the dispute is the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees citizenship to all individuals born or naturalized in the country, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. The amendment states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
Trump’s executive order argued that individuals residing in the US without legal status—or those on temporary visas—were not fully “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States, and therefore their US-born children should not qualify for citizenship.
The ruling has reignited debates over immigration and constitutional rights, with legal experts and activists applauding the judge’s decision. Critics of the executive order argue that it undermines core American values and principles enshrined in the Constitution.
The temporary block sets the stage for a high-stakes legal battle that could ultimately reach the Supreme Court, potentially reshaping interpretations of the 14th Amendment for generations to come.
