Henzodaily.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 7 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events
Seattle, United States – A federal judge, John Coughenour, has issued a temporary restraining order to block President Donald Trump’s executive order to stop birthright citizenship in the United States of America (USA).
Henzodaily.ng recalls that Trump signed an executive order to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
A federal judge said President Donald Trump’s executive order to stop birthright citizenship was “blatantly unconstitutional”
Photo credit: @realDonaldTrump
Source: Twitter
According to CNN, the judge said Trump’s executive order was “blatantly unconstitutional”
Coughenour, a Ronald Reagan appointee who sits in Seattle gave the order on Thursday, January 23.
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and three other Democratic-led states had requested for restraining order.
They requested 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,”
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The judge asked Where were the lawyers” when Trump decided to sign the executive order.
Speaking further, the judge said that it “boggled” his mind that a member of the bar would claim the order was constitutional.
The Democratic-led states argued that Trump’s executive order was a blatant violation of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment.
The Constitution guarantees citizenship to all children born on US soil “and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.”
The state of Washington’s attorney, Lane Polozola told the judge that “births cannot be paused” while the court considers the case.
Polozola added that children denied citizenship under Trump’s order will face “long-term substantial negative impacts,”
“Babies are being born today here, and in the plaintiff states and around the country, with a cloud cast over their citizenship,”
Washington and the other states argued that the end of birthright citizenship would burden their state programs financially and logistically.
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They explained that those children are shut off from federal benefits that they would be entitled to as citizens.
Trump’s camp urges court against making “snap judgment
Trump’s camp argued that the clause “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” allows the president to exclude the children of undocumented immigrants and those whose parents are lawfully present but lack permanent legal status.
Justice Department attorney Brett Shumate urged the judge to hold off on issuing an emergency order blocking the policy until there was more briefing on the policy.
Shumate urged the court against making “a snap judgment on the merits.”
Shumate noted that the other cases challenging the executive order were moving on a slower timeline and argued that “imminent harm” was threatening the states.
US birthright citizenship: 22 states reject Trump’s order
Meanwhile, Henzodaily.ng reported that twenty-two (22) Democratic-led states have filed lawsuits challenging Trump’s executive order banning birthright citizenship.
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Top analyst reacts as Trump signs executive order to end birthright citizenship in US: “Dead on arrival”
The lawsuits argue that the order violates the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born in the US.
State attorneys general and immigrant organisations warn that the order would strip over 150,000 children annually of their rights and access to federal benefits.
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Source: Henzodaily.ng