American President, Donald Trump
By Tony Folarin Obajemu
A federal judge in Seattle, Washington on Thursday temporarily halted US President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship.
John C. Coughenour, US District Judge for the Western District of Washington, imposed a 14-day halt on the enforcement of the executive order, which was originally billed to take effect on February 19.
“I’ve been on the bench for over four decades.
“I can’t remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order,” Judge Coughenour said.
There will be a further briefing on a preliminary injunction to permanently block the executive order while the case proceeds, NBC reports.
Shortly after his January 20 inauguration, the 47th President had signed a flurry of executive orders, including one ending the constitutionally guaranteed birthright citizenship.
However, no fewer than 22 states, two cities and many civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), challenged the order, which critics tagged unconstitutional.
The 14th Amendment of the US Constitution confers birthright citizenship on any child born on American soil, irrespective of the parents’ citizenship status, except the children of foreign diplomats.
