Federal Judge Halts Trump's Birthright Citizenship Executive Order

A federal judge blocked President Trump's executive order aiming to restrict automatic birthright citizenship in the U.S., declaring it 'blatantly unconstitutional.' The temporary restraining order is a setback to Trump's hardline immigration policies, signed on his first day back in office.

A federal judge has intervened to block an effort by Donald Trump's administration to implement an executive order limiting automatic birthright citizenship in the United States. The Seattle-based U.S. District Judge, John Coughenour, deemed the order 'blatantly unconstitutional.'

The restraining order, prompted by four Democratic-led states – Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon – pauses the enforcement of Trump's directive signed on Monday, the day he returned to office. The order, if enacted, would deny citizenship to children born in the U.S. if their parents aren't citizens or lawful permanent residents.

The ruling on Trump's immigration policy, a focal point of his second-term agenda, marks his administration's first legal defeat. Judge Coughenour, appointed by former President Ronald Reagan, emphasized the clarity of the issue, underscoring its contradiction with the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment.

(With inputs from agencies.)