Judge blocks Trump’s ‘blatantly unconstitutional’ executive order that aims to end birthright citizenship

A federal judge said Thursday that President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship was “blatantly unconstitutional” and issued a temporary restraining order to block it.

A federal judge said Thursday that President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship was “blatantly unconstitutional” and issued a temporary restraining order to block it. Judge John Coughenour, a Ronald Reagan appointee who sits in Seattle, granted the request by Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and three other Democratic-led states for the emergency order halting implementation of the policy for the next 14 days while there are more briefings in the legal challenge. “I have been on the bench for over four decades. I can’t remember another case whether the question presented was as clear,” Coughenour said. “Where were the lawyers” when the decision to sign the executive order was made, the judge asked. He said that it “boggled” his mind that a member of the bar would claim the order was constitutional. The Democratic-led states are seeking a temporary restraining order, as they argue that Trump’s executive order is a blatant violation of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to all children born on US soil “and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” An attorney for the state of Washington, Lane Polozola told the judge that “births cannot be paused” while the court considers the case.