Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s ‘Blatantly Unconstitutional’ Attempt to End Birthright Citizenship
Trump had signed an executive order that aims to end automatic citizenship for babies born in the U.S.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked Donald Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional,” according to a report.
Trump had on Monday signed an executive order attempting to end automatic citizenship for babies born on American soil from gaining citizenship, even though the 14th Amendment says that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.”
However, Judge John C. Coughenour, of the Federal District Court, sided with the states that had sued over the order’s constitutionality, The New York Times reported.
“This is a blatantly unconstitutional order,” the judge said in explaining his decision, according to the Times.
He also took a jab at Trump’s lawyers.
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“Frankly, I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar would state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order,” he said. “It just boggles my mind.”
Trump’s order would have prevented the children of undocumented immigrants from gaining citizenship. It also applied to babies born to parents temporarily in the country, like students and tourists.
As president, Trump has vowed to crack down on immigration and has previewed plans to round up and deport undocumented immigrants en masse.
The court decision represents the first major setback for Trump’s flurry of executive actions, many of which have faced questions over their legality.
His executive actions declaring a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border and forcing Mexican asylum seekers to remain in the country are also legally suspect, among others, according to Forbes.
Another of Trump’s first actions in office was to offer a blanket pardon to all of the approximately 1,500 rioters convicted for offenses related to storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
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