A federal judge in the United States has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at restricting birthright citizenship. This decision is a significant setback for Trump’s administration, which has been pushing to reinterpret the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.
The 14th Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship, stating that anyone born on US soil is automatically a citizen, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. Trump’s executive order sought to change this by arguing that individuals in the country illegally or on visas are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States and thus excluded from automatic citizenship ¹.
US District Judge John Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, issued the ruling, imposing a 14-day stay on the enforcement of the order. Coughenour stated that Trump’s order is “blatantly unconstitutional” and emphasized the importance of upholding constitutional protections.
This ruling is a result of lawsuits filed by 22 states, two cities, and numerous civil rights groups challenging the constitutionality of Trump’s order. Critics argue that the 14th Amendment has been settled law for over a century, citing the 1898 US Supreme Court decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, which affirmed that children born in the US to immigrant parents are citizens.
The Department of Justice has announced plans to defend Trump’s executive order, claiming it “correctly interprets” the Constitution. Trump also stated that he would appeal the ruling, saying, “Obviously, we will appeal it.”
State attorneys general have praised the ruling, emphasizing the importance of upholding constitutional protections. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes stated, “No president can change the Constitution on a whim, and today’s decision affirms that.” Washington Attorney General Nick Brown called Trump’s order “un-American,” adding, “Birthright citizenship ensures that citizenship cannot be conditioned on race, ethnicity, or parental origin” ¹.
It’s worth noting that Trump has repeatedly claimed, inaccurately, that the US is the only country with birthright citizenship. In reality, over 30 countries, including Canada and Mexico, also recognize birthright citizenship.
