US President Trump’s abrogation of birthright citizenship runs into a twitch as judge rejects executive order, says it’s unconstitutional

A federal judge in the United States has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order, which seeks to restrict birthright citizenship.

The ruling on Thursday, January 23, 2025, U.S. District Judge John Coughenour halted the enforcement for 14 days.

The executive order, which was signed by Trump immediately after his second inauguration on Monday, attempted to reinterpret the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

However, this has sparked widespread legal and political debate.

Trump’s directive argued that individuals born in the U.S. to parents who are undocumented or on temporary visas are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the country, and therefore not eligible for citizenship.

The judge described the order as “blatantly unconstitutional.” He emphasized the clarity of the 14th Amendment, which states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.”

“This is one of the clearest constitutional violations I’ve encountered in over four decades on the bench,” Coughenour remarked during the hearing in Washington state.

The ruling follows a wave of lawsuits from 22 states, two cities, and various civil rights organizations, all arguing that the executive order undermines a core principle of American identity. Birthright citizenship, enshrined in the 14th Amendment since 1868, has long been a cornerstone of U.S. law.

The temporary block sets the stage for a protracted legal battle, with the Biden administration’s lawyers expected to argue that the president lacks the authority to unilaterally alter constitutional provisions. Trump, however, insists that his interpretation addresses abuses of the immigration system.