Trump’s birthright Citizenship order faces first court challenge

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Thursday, January 23rd, 2025

Download this post as PDF

RKI Network
A Seattle judge will preside over a crucial hearing on Thursday as four states—Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon—seek a temporary restraining order to halt President Donald Trump’s executive move to end birthright citizenship in the United States.
Signed on Monday, the executive order aims to deny citizenship to children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents who are either undocumented or on temporary visas. If implemented, the order will apply to children born on or after February 19, according to the Department of Justice (DoJ).
The states argue that the order violates the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. They maintain that the president lacks the authority to alter the Constitution, adding that enforcing the order would cause “immediate and irreparable harm,” rendering affected individuals stateless and vulnerable to deportation.
The DoJ, however, counters that the 14th Amendment’s clause—granting citizenship to those born in the U.S. “and subject to its jurisdiction”—excludes children of non-citizens who are in the country unlawfully. The department contends the order addresses immigration challenges and is vital to fixing the “broken system.”
This case marks the first legal test of Trump’s order, which has drawn broad opposition. Eighteen additional states, alongside the District of Columbia and San Francisco, have filed a separate challenge. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has also joined the legal battle.
Experts note that altering birthright citizenship requires a constitutional amendment, a complex process involving Congress and state approval. As the legal battle unfolds, the final decision is expected to rest with the courts.
Judge John Coughenour, appointed in 1981, will oversee Thursday’s proceedings in the Western District of Washington.