Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship

A federal judge in Seattle on January 23, 2025, temporarily blocked President Trump’s executive order ending the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship, calling it ‘blatantly unconstitutional’ during the first hearing in a multi-state effort challenging the order

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday (January 23, 2025) that his administration would appeal a federal judge’s ruling that temporarily blocks his attempt to restrict birthright citizenship.

“Obviously we will appeal it,” President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about the ruling by Washington state District Judge John Coughenour, who said the president’s order was “blatantly unconstitutional.”

Earlier on Thursday, Judge Coughenour repeatedly interrupted a Justice Department lawyer during arguments to ask how he could consider the order constitutional. When the attorney, Brett Shumate, said he’d like a chance to explain it in a full briefing, Judge Coughenour told him the hearing was his chance.

The temporary restraining order sought by Arizona, Illinois, Oregon and Washington was the first to get a hearing before a judge and applies nationally.

The case is one of five lawsuits being brought by 22 states and a number of immigrants rights groups across the country. The suits include personal testimonies from attorneys general who are U.S. citizens by birthright, and names pregnant women who are afraid their children won’t become U.S. citizens.

Judge Coughenour, a Ronald Reagan appointee, began the hearing by grilling the administration’s attorneys, saying the order “boggles the mind.”

“This is a blatantly unconstitutional order,” Judge Coughenour told Mr. Shumate. Judge Coughenour said he’s been on the bench for more than four decades, and he couldn’t remember seeing another case where the action challenged was so clearly unconstitutional.