A federal judge has granted a temporary restraining order to block President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at denying birthright citizenship to children of immigrants born in the United States. This decision, which applies nationwide, prevents federal agencies from implementing the president's directive while the court considers the case further.
The court agreed with Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown's motion, suggesting that the states' lawsuit is likely to succeed on its merits. As a result, immigrant families across the nation are protected from any immediate risk of their children losing citizenship. The ruling ensures that no action can be taken by the federal government to deny citizenship protections to children born in the U.S. during this legal process.
Brown stated, "This unconstitutional and un-American executive order will hopefully never take effect thanks to the actions states are taking on behalf of their residents." He emphasized that birthright citizenship is a fundamental aspect of U.S. law, unaffected by race or ethnicity, and recognized by generations until President Trump's recent actions.
The lawsuit was filed on January 21st by Attorney General Brown and joined by Oregon, Arizona, and Illinois in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. It argues that Trump's executive order violates both the 14th Amendment of the U.S Constitution and the federal Immigration and Nationality Act. The complaint maintains that Trump lacks authority to alter constitutional provisions regarding who receives U.S. citizenship at birth.
Handling this case for Washington are Wing Luke Civil Rights Division Chief Colleen Melody, Assistant Attorneys General Lane Polozola, Daniel Jeon and Alyson Dimmitt Gnam, along with Paralegals Tiffany Jennings and Anna Alfonso.